In some counties, when a company seeks small-business or women- or minority-owned business designation for a county contract, this designation also applies to the municipalities within the county. Why can't the same sort of thing apply to lobbying? Tampa council member Lisa Montelione has asked this question, according to a September Tampa Bay Times article.

Why not indeed? It would be a great idea for a county to create a lobbying oversight program that would apply to all the municipalities in it. This would cut the cost of the program (per municipality), and make it easier for lobbyists to disclose their lobbying activities, easier for them to follow lobbying rules, and easier for the public (and the news media) to see what lobbying is occurring in their town and county communities. It would also mean that more money would be available to have active, professional lobbying oversight and an ongoing online disclosure system.

Sadly, I have not been able to find any countywide lobbying oversight program, other than in counties that are essentially large cities with a city/county government. Even counties with countywide ethics programs, such as Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, and Broward County, all in Florida, do not have countywide lobbying programs. The advantages of a good countywide ethics program apply to lobbying. In fact, since technology is central to lobbying disclosure, the advantages of a countywide lobbying program are even greater. Let's hope that Tampa-Hillsborough County show the rest of the country the way.

Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics