Texas Lawmakers Are Poised To End Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying In 2021 And Other States Are Likely To Follow Suit

Tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars are spent every year to hire contract lobbyists who represent local governments in state legislatures, often to advocate against taxpayer interests. In 2021, lawmakers in the nation’s second most populous state and the world’s 11th largest economy, Texas, could be the first to put an end to this practice. Based on need and interest already expressed by lawmakers elsewhere, other states could follow suit in short order. 

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Texas Representative Mayes Middleton introduced legislation to end taxpayer-funded lobbying during the last session of the Texas Legislature and is filing a new bill to do so this week. Though that reform passed the state Senate during the last session in 2019, it fell short in the state House. Things have changed since then, however, and this reform is now poised for enactment in 2021. 

Among the changes since last session is the fact that there will be a new House Speaker, Dade Phelan (R), who is a supporter of Representative Middleton’s bill to end taxpayer-funded lobbying. In addition to having the votes in the state Senate, which approved the measure in the last session, Representative Middleton’s bill also has a supporter in the Texas Governor’s mansion: 

More than $40 million dollars were spent by local governments on contract lobbyists during the 2017 session. The most vocal opponents of legislation to end taxpayer-funded lobbying, not surprisingly, are mayors, city council members, and other local government officials. 

“People on the other side just don’t want to hear from folks in Austin or other cities — and the surest way to do that is to make sure they’re not part of the conversation, and that’s not right,” contends Austin Mayor Steve Adler (D), who opposes the bill to end taxpayer-funded lobbying. 

Representative Middleton points out that not only are taxpayer dollars being spent on private lobbying firms; taxpayers dollars are being spent to advocate for higher taxes and other policies that are not in the best interests of, or supported by taxpayers. 

“Our tax money is being spent on Austin lobbyists to advocate against the taxpayer and basic good governance,” said Middleton. “Taxpayers have no idea that their local school boards, city councils, and county commissioners courts are using taxpayer money to hire Austin lobbyists, who then lobby against property tax reform and for higher taxes.”

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Polling indicates that ending taxpayer-funded lobbying, aside from the policy merits, is smart politics. A December 2018 poll commissioned by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) found that 91% oppose taxpayer-funded lobbying, including 80% who strongly oppose it. 

“Cities, counties, and school districts are forcing taxpayers to pay for lobbyists who advocate for higher taxes, more spending, and bigger government. That’s not right,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “Taxpayer-funded lobbying is an unethical and un-American practice. It’s time to end it.”

Texas Senator Bob Hall (R) is the senate sponsor of the bill to end taxpayer-funded lobbying. Members of his chamber will hold a December hearing on the proposal. If this reform passes in Texas in 2021, it might not be long before lawmakers in other states follow suit. 

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Examples are abound from other states where taxpayer dollars are paid to lobbyists who advocate against taxpayers’ interests. The coming 2021 state legislative sessions, most of which kick off in January, will provide many instances of local governments lobbying for higher taxes and against tax and spending limitation measures. 

Governors and lawmakers in other states are seeking to emulate Texas’s ability to fund state government without an income tax. The criminal justice reform movement that started in Texas has swept other state capitals and even led to federal criminal justice reform. Likewise, just as Texas has been a policy innovation leader in other areas, expect to see reform-minded lawmakers in other state capitals seek to follow Texas’s lead in putting a stop to taxpayer-funded lobbying in the coming year.


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