This paper discusses taxpayer-funded lobbying and attempts to qualify its use in Missouri. In connection with this paper, the Show-Me Institute has collected contracts between dozens of local governments and lobbying firms in Missouri and made those contracts available at smiinfo.org/lobbycontracts. Those contracts will give Missourians a better idea of who their local governments are hiring for lobbying, what they are aiming for, and how they are spending tax dollars.
The practice of government using tax dollars to lobby other governments appears to often be a lose-lose proposition for taxpayers. In many cases, if the lobbying succeeds, government expands; if it fails, government wastes tax dollars. The authors hope that this paper and the disclosure of existing contracts will subject taxpayer-funded lobbying to greater scrutiny, transparency, and accountability in Missouri.
Related Links
Commentary: “Missouri’s Taxpayers Lobbying To Pay More Taxes?” by Mary Kate Hopkins
Public Documents: Missouri State and Local government lobbying contracts, searchable
