Local gov. hiring lobbyist to get stimulus money
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
February 16, 2009 10:29am CST
Cash strapped local gov. are hiring lobbyists in order to get as much stimulus money as they can. They are saying the lobbyists are needed ""We wanted to be sure that we were at least part of the discussion and taken seriously,".
So it looks like the stimulus bill is already working...it is creating jobs...lobbyist jobs. So let me see if I get this straight. Local governments (county, city etc...). are hiring lobbyist with tax payer money (lobbyist are not cheap), to send them to get more tax payer dollars? From what I understand the states will get stimulus money. They will then decide how to split it up between their local governments . So why can't all the local gov. just actually talk to the state gov. about how it is going to be split. Then they get money without wasting tax payer dollars on a lobbyist. It would seem they could get the same effect without wasting money. Tell me what you think.
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1 response
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
16 Feb 09
If you start handing out money, everyone and their dog will come to get their share. Every part of what you are saying about local government hiring lobbyist with tax payer money to get tax payer money is right on the money. Not one state, county, or city should receive a dime of tax payer money if they spend one dime on lobbyist. Well just to be honest no one should receive one dime of this money but the toothpaste is already out of the tube, and you cannot put it back in. What we can do is manage this horrible spending wish list the best way we can. If your state, county, or city can afford a lobbyist then those forms of government do not need our money.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
16 Feb 09
Our county school board hired a lobbyist and paid him $30,000.00 to go to the state capital to get them money for their schools. A lot of other schools districts have done the same. All the different agencies are hiring lobbyist. Then you have special interest groups that are also hiring them to get stimulus money too. It is nuts. It has turned into the war of the lobbyist with each trying to get every dime they can for their cause and not caring about the rest.
You are right that should be a non issue....but thanks to congress it is. So now teh state agencies are fighting like rabid wolves with each other already to get as big a piece of this as possible. I wonder if the state is just going to listen to the lobbyist or actually put the money to good use.
I know in my state this is already causing a huge mess.
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