Written by
Nannette Miranda, ABC7
SACRAMENTO, CA - You can always tell when a big vote is about to happen at the California Legislature; the Capitol hallways are packed with lobbyists.
A new report by California Common Cause found a record $285 million were spent in 2011 trying to influence lawmakers, mostly from public employee unions and corporations.
Top 3 Lobbyist Spenders:
| Public Unions |
Money Spent on lobbying |
| California Teachers Association |
$6.57 million |
| Service Employees International Union |
$5 million |
| Western States Petroleum Association |
$4.27 million |
| Source: California Common Cause |
|
It raises the question of whether real voters are being heard.
"I don't know if voters are really being heard, right? Voters cannot put up $200 million in lobbying," California Common Cause's Phillip Ung said.
FULL REPORT: Californian Common Cause: Campaign Finance and Lobbying Industry Report
Groups on the Top 25 list declined requests for comment, with many referring us to the Institute of Governmental Advocates, a lobbying group for lobbyists. The group's president didn't call back.
Ung said the goal of the lobbyists is to sway opinions and maybe votes.
However, Assem. Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, insists special interests with money do not have a bigger say in policy that average Californians do count.
"Professional advocates can be helpful," Dickinson said. "They can be informative, but they should never be a substitute for us for the people we represent."
Community college student and CalWorks recipient Bathsheba Jackson doesn't feel that way. She's met with lawmakers, begging them not to slash welfare, but nothing worked; numerous cuts were approved.
"I feel as if I am the weakest link because I don't have the economic foundation so that they look and pay attention to me," Jackson said. "I constantly feel like I'm being ignored."
Nannette Miranda
ABC7
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