Texas State Capitol building. | lsbthnavarro / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Texas State Capitol building. | lsbthnavarro / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
A school district has revealed it spent $1,275 on influencing legislators last year, and has budgeted an additional $1,200 for that purpose this year.
The Sudan ISD said it spent the money following an open records request by a representative spearheading a campaign to ban the use of public money on lobbyists. State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) has filed hundreds of requests with cities, counties and school districts across the state. Middleton is also sponsoring a bill to ban the use of taxpayer money on lobbyists and on dues to representative organizations that may use money to hire lobbyists.
The Sudan ISD said it had budgeted $1,200 in 2019-20 for what is described as influencing legislators, but spent $1,275. The budget for 2020-21 includes $1,200 for the same reason.
Under Middleton's bill and a similar one filed in the state Senate ahead of the new legislative session, political subdivisions, including cities, counties and school boards, cannot use public funds to hire an individual required to register as a lobbyist.
Further, it cannot pay dues to any association, including the Texas Municipal League, that hires lobbyists.
“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 told East Houston News.
In a letter sent to the state Senate committee, mayors from across the state argued that such legislation would deny the ability of communities to advocate on issues important to their constituents, particularly as they recover from the effects of the pandemic. The letter, whose signatories were led by the current Texas Municipal League president, Coppell Mayor Karen Hunter, said it would also deprive "the legislature of valuable information from local governments on the most pressing issues of our time."
The bar on dues will have a crippling effect on the work of the league and other associations, according to the organization.
"The concept of restricting community advocacy represents a limited view of public discourse and policymaking, not to mention a potentially dangerous understanding of the constitutional guarantees afforded to all citizens," the letter stated.
“Taxpayers are forced to pay for lobbyists that lobby against their best interests,” Middleton said. “Taxpayer-funded lobbying is a modern practice and a bad one.”
Up to $41 million per year is spent by local government on Austin lobbyists, according to a 2017 report by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative organization campaigning for a ban. Middleton said 91% of Texas voters oppose political entities paying lobbyists, citing a December 2019 poll by WPA Intelligence, a self-styled conservative polling firm.