Nevada 2009 Legislature: Governments spend $3.2M to lobby Legislature

Local governments in Nevada spent nearly $3.2 million in public money lobbying the Nevada Legislature this year.

According to records at the Nevada Department of Taxation, the money was spent by the counties, cities, county-operated hospitals, school districts and other special districts. Predictably, the vast majority of the money was spent by government organizations in Clark and Washoe counties.

The total amount probably exceeds the reported amount, because the law only requires reporting when total expenditures exceed $6,000 for any given entity.

The reports show that the largest expenditures were contracts employing professional lobbyists. A total of $1,268,104 in contract lobbyist expenditures was reported as of a week ago. But significant amounts also were spent to send local government employees to the Legislature. The reports count the salaries of those officials while at the Legislature.

Altogether, governmental entities in Clark County reported $2.3 million in lobbying expenditures. Washoe County entities spent $651,321 - and that doesn't include what the city of Reno spent. That report hadn't arrived at Taxation yet.

Direct county expenditures totaled $951,324 during session. Cities spent $1,061,473 and school districts $509,337.

Other special districts - ranging from the Southern Nevada Water Authority to Incline Village General Improvement District - spent $618,191 to try to influence lawmakers.

The only public hospital on the list was University Medical Center in Las Vegas, which reported $35,353 in lobbying costs.

All of the money spent is public money with the majority coming directly from local government general funds.

Some surprisingly small entities reported significant expenditures during the session. Carson City spent $38,187, primarily to hire professional lobbyists Mary Walker, the former city finance director, and Bob Hadfield, former head of the Nevada Association of Counties. Carson School District spent another $9,000.

Churchill County spent $16,518 with the county paying B.J. Selinder of Fallon to lobby. Fallon hired veteran lobbyist Mary Henderson but, like Reno, its financial report had not yet been received by the state.

Douglas and Lyon counties, like Carson City, hired Walker and Hadfield, spending $48,195 and $28,000, respectively. Elko paid former Las Vegas Assemblyman Josh Griffin $25,000. IVGID hired Walker for $12,000.

But the big money was spent by the two biggest counties. Clark County listed 12 lobbyists, mostly full-time employees led by professional lobbyist Sabra Smith-Newby. Clark reported total lobbying costs of $487,831, including the $30,000 in University Medical Center costs.

Las Vegas listed 15 employees and professional lobbyists and total costs of $344,733.

Henderson had 13 on its list, including former Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins. Total expenses reported were $287,360.

Washoe County, not including Reno, spent $332,945 during session.

The school districts also spent quite a bit on lobbying during the session. Largest by far was Clark, reporting $390,702. But that list didn't include hiring a professional lobbying firm. The district used its own officers and employees to push its cause, listing their expenses and salaries during the session. Washoe School District, however, spent $50,000 of its total $91,635 on contract lobbyists.