Local governments also pay for lobbying Legislature
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Jane Phillips/The New Mexican
Photo: Free food for lawmakers and legislative staff, paid for by lobbyists, is a routine part of legislative sessions. The New Mexico Association of Counties, an organization representing county governments from around the state, picked up the tab for Tuesday’s pizza lunch in the Legislative Council Service break room at the Capitol.
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2/8/2008 - 2/9/08
Corporations and business groups aren't the only ones who pay lobbyists to follow bills and money issues through the state Legislature. Government agencies hire professional lobbyists as well.In Santa Fe, both city and county governments use public funds to pay lobbyists as do Santa Fe Public Schools and Santa Fe Community College.
The city for the past several years has paid veteran lobbyist Mark Duran to look after its interests in the Legislature. City spokeswoman Laura Banish said Friday that Duran's current contract pays him $54,000 for the year.
The county this year is contracting with James Rivera, paying him $10,000 for lobbing during the 30-day session, County Manager Roman Abeyta said.
The public school district pays longtime lobbyist Linda Siegle $30,000, a portion of which goes to Virginia Vigil, a Santa Fe County commissioner who also works as a full-time lobbyist for Santa Fe Community College. The college pays her $29,995 a year, spokeswoman Janet Wise said Friday.
Santa Fe Mayor David Coss said it's valuable for the city to have a paid lobbyist working the Roundhouse. In recent years, Coss said, the city's main legislative priority has been trying to get state capital outlay funds for various projects. He said Duran works year-round, tracking legislation in interim committees when the Legislature isn't in session.
As for whether it's the responsibility of the elected local legislators, not hired lobbyists, to look after Santa Fe's needs, the mayor said, "Absolutely, and (Santa Fe lawmakers) work with us very well." But he said the Santa Fe delegation has to tend to the needs of others in the community and statewide in addition to the city government. "They've got their plates full," he said.
Duran's plate appears to be full as well.
The city is one of 15 clients for Duran. He also represents Central New Mexico Community College, Deloitte Consulting (an Austin, Texas, firm), Inx Inc., the Lensic Performing Arts Center, Network Appliance Inc., New Mexico Manufactured Housing Association, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Santa Fe Indian School, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, the Santa Fe Opera, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Southwest Youth Soccer Complex, Trex Enterprises Corp. (a San Diego company) and Uranium Resources Inc.
Coss said he's never seen a conflict arise between Duran's work for the city and his other clients.
But Abeyta said Santa Fe County has cut back on its spending on legislative lobbyists. He said some in county government questioned the return the county got from hiring outside lobbyists.
Last year, during the 60-day session, the county paid $40,000 to former state Sen. Roman Maes of Santa Fe and $20,000 to Rivera for lobbying services. Like Duran, Maes also has a long list of clients.
Now, Abeyta said, "We're depending more on in-house staff to lobby. It's good to have James there, though, in case the House and the Senate are debating bills important to the county at the same time."
- LOBBYISTS FOR SANTA FE GOVERNMENTS
- City of Santa Fe: Mark Duran, $54,000 a year
- Santa Fe County: James Rivera, $10,000 for 30-day session
- Santa Fe Public Schools: Linda Siegle $30,000 a year (shares part of that fee with Virginia Vigil)
- Santa Fe Community College: Virginia Vigil, $29,995 a year
Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.