State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) and Rep. Kyle Biedermann (R-Fredericksburg) came together to pen an opinion piece on what they feel is a legislative priority – enacting a ban on lobbying efforts paid for with taxpayer money.
“Right now, up to $41 million per year of your tax money is being diverted to the pockets of Austin lobbyists. This is your money, diverted from essential services, like filling potholes, teacher pay, police and firefighters. Instead, it is spent on lobbyists who are fighting to take even more of your tax money,” Middleton and Biedermann wrote. “Most Texans don’t even know that taxpayer-funded lobbying is occurring. Meanwhile, local government entities are doing everything they can to hide the practice and keep us in the dark.”
James Dickey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas issued a statement following the publication of the opinion piece.
“From the 2018 Convention, to the 86th Legislative Session, to the Primary just last week, Texans have sent a clear message: they demand the end to taxpayer-funded lobbying. We remain steadfast in working alongside our elected leaders to end this immoral practice and we will fight hard to ensure it ends,” wrote Dickey in a statement. “Thank you to Representative Mayes Middleton and Representative Kyle Biedermann for putting this issue at the top of their list.”
The legislators’ column came after Senate Bill 29 failed in the house with a 58-85 vote, but Middleton and state Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) are continuing the push to shine light on the practice of using taxpayer funds for lobbying efforts. Hall and Middleton spoke to attendees at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s (TPPF) annual conference in February.
Hall told attendees that the bill would have not have prevented officials from testifying or petitioning the government, but it would have stopped lobbyists paid with taxpayer dollars from doing those things.
“Banning taxpayer-funded lobbying would amplify the voices of taxpayers. Right now, they’re being drowned out by the lobbyists,” Middleton said, adding that he took interest in the matter after seeing many conservative bills dying.
In December, Middleton wrote to 3,000 municipalities, government entities and school districts to request documentation on how much they spend on lobbying, which firms they use, and what legislation they support or oppose. Middleton also requested copies of lobbying contracts.
Polls by the Texas Public Policy Foundation and conducted in December 2018 and May 2019 sought public input on Senate Bill 29, and the most recent poll showed 88 percent of Texas resident polled were against using tax money to pay for lobbying.
