Lobbyists spent less on officials in '06, report says

38 percent drop came during nonbudget year

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Mark Naymik

Plain Dealer Politics Writer

Ohio lobbyists and their employers spent nearly $350,000 in 2006 feeding lawmakers and state officials and buying them small gifts, far less money than the nearly $560,000 they doled out 2005.

The numbers were released recently by the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, which tracked the activities of the roughly 1,700 lobbyists and 1,600 employers registered with the state during 2006.

The 38 percent drop in spending is typical of an election year and when the biennial budget is not at issue.

In 2004, for instance, lobbyists and their employers spent nearly $395,000, but far more - $636,000 - during the 2003 budget year.

Legislative Inspector General Tony Bledsoe, who oversees the ethics committee, said he has observed a pattern of spending since joining the committee in 2001 that suggests there is more lobbying activity in a budget year.

"In an election year, there are fewer lobbying events," he said. "Individuals tend to interact at the [campaign] fund-raising events, so there are fewer lobbying receptions, dinners, etc. The campaign events, of course, are reported in campaign finance reports and not as lobbying expenditures."

The biggest spender in 2006 was the Wholesale Beer & Wine Association, a powerful lobby that fights tax increases on the sale of beer and wine. It spent $31,287 on receptions for lawmakers. Rounding out the top five spenders were:

The Ohio Children's Hospital Association: $13,607 on receptions and $135 on token gifts.

The Ohio Chemistry Council: $13,742 on receptions.

The Ohio State University: $4,496 on receptions, $4,779 on tickets and gifts, and $672 on meals and beverages.