Austin News

Some 88% of Texans oppose taxpayer-funded lobbying but many are unaware of how they pay for it, according to a Texas Public Policy Foundation poll.

“Sadly, taxpayer-funded lobbyists have fought to hide the practice from taxpayers, leaving many unaware of the practice,” said Rep. Mayes Middleton (R–Wallisville) previously told East Houston News.

For example, out of the money that the Eanes Independent School District (EISD) paid in membership fees or dues to organizations like Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), and Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), a percentage was used for advocacy, according to EISD Open Records’ Patty Gray.

“For the 2019-20 school year, TASBO informed us that 0.53% of the membership dues go towards lobbying efforts,” Gray told Austin News in an email. “A total of $2,430 was paid to TASBO for memberships in that year amounting to $12.88 in lobbying costs. Of the total amount paid to TASA, $750 is related to Legislative and Public Policy Services. TASB reports spending 15% of our membership fees in a non-legislative year. In 2019-20, $1,650 of our $11,000 fee is related to Legislative and Policy Services.”

As previously reported by East Houston News, taxpayer-funded lobbying is when a city, county or school district pays lobbying firms or associations for various political causes. A full list of all registered lobbyists is available on the Texas Ethics Commission website.

“Taxpayers are forced to pay for lobbyists that lobby against their best interests,” Middleton told the East Houston News.

For the 2020-21 school year, Gray reports that 3% of the membership dues paid to TASBO is for lobbying efforts. 

“Texas School Coalition (TSC) informed us that 7.6% of the membership dues go towards lobbying efforts,” she stated. “For TASA, $750 is related to Legislative and Public Policy Services. TASB reports spending an average of 18.7% of our membership fees in a legislative year, projected to be $2,057 of our $11,000 fee in 2020-2021.” 

Overall, up to $41 million per year is spent by local governments on Austin lobbyists, according to data from the office of Middleton who inquired into cities, counties, and school districts statewide to expose their tax revenue spending on lobbying.

“Taxpayer-funded lobbyists have opposed property tax relief, election integrity, disclosures of what bonds truly cost taxpayers, the constitutional ban on a state income tax, and they even opposed the bill to fund and protect our teacher’s retirement pensions,” Middleton said previously.

About 88% of Texans oppose taxpayer-funded lobbying but many are unaware of how they pay for it, according to a Texas Public Policy Foundation poll.

Middleton, along with Hall, filed bills last year that, if enacted, will ban cities, counties, and school districts from hiring lobbyists with taxpayer revenue to advocate against laws that could potentially benefit homeowners statewide. The bills are identical, but Middleton filed HB 749 in the state House while Hall filed SB 234.