Polk County paid a lobbyist over $3 million to protect Prairie Meadows' status as a nonprofit social welfare organization, according to a Des Moines Register article.
Many local governments contract for lobbying services to represent their city or county. These contract lobbyists are not subject to the same open records laws as government employees. If taxpayer dollars are used for lobbying activities, taxpayers deserve to know exactly how that money is being spent so they can hold their local elected officials accountable.
Taxpayers deserve to know how government uses their money.
ITR supported a bill to increase transparency in taxpayer-funded lobbying this year. Read more about taxpayer funded lobbyists on our issue page.
