Lobbying takes on new importance with state economy down

by Tom Lacock, Cowboy State Free Press Correspondent

CASPER - With a limited amount of money in the state’s coffers this budget session, the number and estimates of lobbyists expected in Cheyenne during next month’s Legislative session are staying relatively firm, according to both the Secretary of State’s office, as well as those within the industry.

“I have lobbied since 1983 and we have had a lot of times when we didn’t have money and fewer times when we had money and it seems like we have a lot of lobbyists all the time,” said Wendy Lowe, who will be in Cheyenne representing energy and health care interests. “Every group is still going to feel they need to have representation and they have lobbyists whether they are volunteers or on contract.”

Peggy Nighswonger is the State Elections Director and said it is tough to necessarily get a good estimate on the number of lobbyists expected in Cheyenne this budget session, since some lobbyists typically register just before the Legislative session.

“There seems to be a big rush (to register) before the committee meetings in the summer, then just before session and then again during the session,” Nighswonger said. “Last year the total was 395 and we have 157 registered for the 2009-2010 year.”

Nighswonger said four years ago when several constitutional amendments were being debated, the number of registered lobbyists numbered nearly 500.

Larry Wolfe is a 20-year veteran lobbyist in Wyoming, dealing mostly in oil, gas, pipeline and wind energy lobbying efforts. However, this year Wolfe, who is a partner at Holland and Hart, said he has also been hired by the City of Jackson. He believes his new job is something of a trend in Cheyenne.

“Lobbying is always important and what I think you are going to see this year is more lobbyists representing local governments,” Wolfe said. “Those are the groups being most affected by the budget cuts and can lobby independently.”

This year Wolfe said he will represent “eight or nine,” different groups at the statehouse and looking or budget decisions hoping to find places where lobbying could be helpful for Jackson next month as well as opposing legislation which would create a constitutional amendment that would prohibit real estate transfer taxes.

“We think it is terrible legislation and we will oppose it,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe won’t be the only member of the lobbying effort representing local governments. The Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM) has prepared for a strong lobbying effort this session. In the $3 billion proposed state budget for 2011-2012, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is recommending to the Legislature, that direct distribution from the state to local governments would drop from $145 million to $60 million.

Mark Harris is the Legislative Director and General Council for WAM. He said WAM is trying to find a negotiating stand with the Legislature in hopes of restoring some of the money being passed through to local governments. Harris said in the Governor’s current budget proposal to the Legislature, there is a near 60 percent cut over what local governments received a year ago and WAM only sees estimated state mineral revenue dropping 18 percent. Harris said historically, that revenue has been available to be shared with local governments.

“It is critical that we do a couple things,” Harris said. “First, we have to make sure that the legislature and local government are on the same page when we talk about what revenues are available for sharing with local governments. Our position is when we review the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group’s estimates for revenues from the start of the current 2009-2010 bienium and the Oct. 2009 CREG estimates for the upcoming biennium. We see there is an 18 percent decreas in mineral revenues available for sharing with local governments.

“The second critical issue is finding out if local governments be on the same footing as state agencies when consideration of revenue sharing is looked at,” Harris added. “On the flop side of that, will local governments be expected share in the same reductions as state agencies when revenues decrease.”

While they may not have any more lobbyists in the State Capitol, Harris did say there is already a strong lobbying campaign going on between local governments and their elected officials at home. He said mayors, city council members and other local officials are talking to their legislators in a grass-roots effort to make their case known.

“I believe if it is grass roots, the local legislators who deals with local officials on a daily basis is going to have a lot better chance at meaningful dialog than a lobbyist could in a meeting or catching someone in the hallway,” said Harris