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Stop State from lobbying ITSELF: Another easy $1,350,000 in spending cuts!By Nick, Section News
"Lobbyist" has become a dirty word in politics these days. Almost as bad as "special interest" or "soft money." Not quite, but almost. Nonetheless, elected officials continue to receive free dinners, trips and concert tickets. Grand Rapids democrat Mike Sak was spotted last week partying into the early hours of the morning with some lobbyist friends at a John Mayer concert, for instance.
Ordinary folks have to line up to attend his office hours and maybe get five minutes of his time but a lobbyist can toss a couple tickets to the hot show at the guy and he's got a captive audience for six hours (between the show and drinks afterwards). That's what bothers folks about the lobbying set. Sure, there are times when they're simply presenting facts and figures and arguing a case, but all too often it looks like they're buying people off. As a result, watchdog groups have sprouted up to monitor lobbying and the money they're spending to give our elected officials a good time. The non-partisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network, for one, has completed an analysis of the top 200 lobbyists expenditures during 2006. The FREEP recently reported that the amount of cash flowing from lobbyists to elected officials has been on the rise, too. I took a look at MCFN's list and found something unsettling. State and local governments, in a time of fiscal crisis, through various schools, departments and offices have lobbied THEMSELVES to the tune of well over $1,350,000! Anyone else see something really wrong with that? This is taxpayer money being used to bilk more taxpayer money. This is robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is wrong. Do you know what we could do with an extra $1,350,000 right now? For one, we could keep a few criminals locked up instead of cutting them loose. We could hire a few more cops. A few more firefighters. We could increase revenue sharing. We could up the per-pupil funding in public schools by a few buck. The governor could cut that much from her tax hike, letting it stay in residents pockets. The possibilities are endless. But what's any of that compared to buying yourself tickets and trips and drinks? Takes money to make money right? Or maybe it just takes money to take money. And my favorite on the list? The Executive Office of the Governor. That's right, Granholm herself is spending money lobbying HERSELF! To see more of the taxpayer funded lobbying operations... read on...
42 Genesee Intermediate School District $119,468
44 Michigan State University $109,889 45 University of Michigan Board of Regents $109,378 56 Central Michigan University $93,515 66 City of Detroit $83,557 79 Oakland University $68,351 84 Macomb Intermediate School District $65,650 88 Executive Office of the Governor $62,694 89 Dept. of Education $62,232 91 Wayne County $60,000 101 Dept. of State Police $55,537 102 Grand Valley State University $54,998 106 Dept. of Environmental Quality $54,665 109 Mott Community College $52,541 115 Western Michigan University $51,392 134 Inkster Public Schools $44,561 138 Oakland County Executive $44,102 145 Genesee County Treasurers Office $42,000 150 Northern Michigan University $40,778 163 Oakland Intermediate School District $38,571 175 Oakland County Road Commission $36,000
189 Dept. of Treasury $33,482
Stop State from lobbying ITSELF: Another easy $1,350,000 in spending cuts! | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 hidden)
Stop State from lobbying ITSELF: Another easy $1,350,000 in spending cuts! | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 hidden)
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