NTF Issue Paper: legwatch139.doc. 10-15.
NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS FOR FREEDOM ISSUE PAPER:
LOBBYING AGAINST TAXPAYERS IN THE LEGISLATURE: 2015.
BACKGROUND. Numerous lobbyists seek to persuade our state senators to vote a particular way or support or oppose a specific cause. However, the large number of lobbyists who lobby on behalf of liberal groups and state/local taxing authorities explains much of the reason why state senators have not offered Nebraskans true tax reform and relief. Constant pressure from these lobbyists heretofore has outweighed the influence brought to bear on the Legislature by individual taxpayers and taxpayer rights groups like ours. Below, we have categorized these lobbyists, so that you can see their sheer numbers and the entities for which they lobby. American Association of Retired Persons boasts the most lobbyists, 8, followed by U. of NE, 6. Many entities in this dishonor roll repeatedly use taxpayer dollars to lobby against tax and spending relief measures on the ballot and in the Legislature. We must pass legislation to prohibit taxing entities from using tax dollars to lobby against taxpayers. This listing should motivate every Nebraska taxpayer to redouble efforts to lobby individually and in our organization to win tax, spending, and regulation relief from our Unicameral.
THE EDUCATION LOBBY.
Adams Central Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Bellevue Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Bennington Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Douglas County West Schools = 1 lobbyist.
ESU Coordinating Council = 1 lobbyist.
ESU 3 = 1 lobbyist.
Elkhorn Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Grand Island NW Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Grand Island Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Lakeview Community Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Learning Community = 1 lobbyist.
Lincoln Education Association = 1 lobbyist.
Lincoln Public Schools = 2 lobbyists.
Millard Public Schools = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska Association of School Boards = 4 lobbyists.
Nebraska Council of School Administrators = 3 lobbyists.
Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska State Education Association = 5 lobbyists.
Omaha Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Papillion-La Vista School District = 1 lobbyist.
Ralston Public Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Springfield-Platteview Schools = 1 lobbyist.
Westside Schools = 1 lobbyist.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION LOBBY.
Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of NE = 2 lobbyists.
Metro Community College = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Community College Association = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska State College System = 1 lobbyist.
University of Nebraska = 6 lobbyists.
UNO Chapter of Am. Assoc. of University Professors = 1 lobbyist.
CITIES.
Hastings = 1 lobbyist.
Kearney = 1 lobbyist.
League of NE Municipalities = 5 lobbyists.
Lexington = 1 lobbyist.
Lincoln = 3 lobbyists.
Omaha = 1 lobbyist.
United Cities of Sarpy County = 1 lobbyist.
COUNTIES.
Douglas County Board = 1 lobbyist.
Lancaster County Board = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Association of County Officials = 4 lobbyists.
Sarpy County Board = 2 lobbyists.
UTILITIES.
Black Hills Energy = 2 lobbyists.
Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation = 2 lobbyists.
Loup River Public Power District = 1 lobbyist.
Metropolitan Utilities District = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska Municipal Power Pool = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska Public Power District = 4 lobbyists.
Northeast NE Public Power District = 1 lobbyist.
OPPD = 2 lobbyists.
Southern Public Power District = 1 lobbyist.
NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS.
Nebraska Association of Resources Districts = 2 lobbyists.
Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District = 1 lobbyist.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Metro Entertainment & Convention Authority = 1 lobbyist.
Metro Area Planning Agency =1 lobbyist.
Metro Area Transit = 1 lobbyist.
NE Association of Regional Administrators = 1 lobbyist.
NE County Court Association = 1 lobbyist.
NE County Judges’ Association = 1 lobbyist.
NE District Court Judges’ Association = 1 lobbyist.
LABOR UNIONS.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers = 1 lobbyist.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska AFL-CIO = 1 lobbyist.
NE Association of Public Employees, AFSCME Local 61 = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police = 1 lobbyist.
NE Labor Unity Council = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Professional Firefighters Association = 2 lobbyists.
Nebraska Sheriff’s Association = 2 lobbyists.
NE State Fraternal Order of Police = 1 lobbyist.
Omaha Police Officers Association = 2 lobbyists.
Omaha Professional Firefighters Association = 1 lobbyist.
State Troopers Association of Nebraska = 1 lobbyist.
Teamsters Union Local #554 = 1 lobbyist.
United Transportation Union = 1 lobbyist.
WELFARE GROUPS.
Center for People in Need = 1 lobbyist.
Eastern NE Human Services Agency = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Assoc. of Area Agencies on Aging = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Association of Social Workers = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraskans for Workers Compensation Equity & Fairness = 1 lobbyist.
LIBERAL & LEFTIST ORGANIZATIONS.
AARP Nebraska = 8 lobbyists.
ACLU NE = 4 lobbyists.
Center for Rural Affairs = 5 lobbyists.
Common Cause (national) = 2 lobbyists.
Common Cause NE = 1 lobbyist.
Equal Justice USA = 2 lobbyists.
Every Town for Gun Safety Action Fund = 2 lobbyists.
Humanities Nebraska = 1 lobbyist.
Human Rights Campaign = 5 lobbyists.
League of Human Dignity = 1 lobbyist.
League of Women Voters-Omaha = 1 lobbyist.
League of Women Voters-NE. = 3 lobbyists.
Nebraska Appleseed = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Farmers Union = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraska Sierra Club = 1 lobbyist.
Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty = 3 lobbyists.
Nebraskans for Civic Reform (community activists) = 2 lobbyists.
Open Sky Institute = 1 lobbyist.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland = 3 lobbyists.
*Data taken from the 2015 Legislative Journals and NE Accountability & Disclosure Commission report.
Research, analysis, and documentation for this issue paper done by NE Taxpayers for Freedom. This material copyrighted by NTF, with prior permission granted for its use by other groups in the NE Conservative Coalition Network. 10-15 C