Why You Should Care About Taxpayer Funded Lobbying

Without you knowing, you are funding tax increase proposals regardless of if you agree or disagree with the initiative. It may not sound real, but unfortunately it is true. This is the definition of taxpayer funded lobbying. Various government agencies are using your tax dollars to lobby on the behalf of their wishes, often times to line their pockets. Here are three ways in which taxpayer funded lobbying has effected your life.

1. Rick Snyder makes $159,000 as Governor of our state. It is well noted that he lobbied to the public in order to persuade us to support an increase in gas taxes. His lobbying efforts included a well covered “Pro-Gas Tax” road tour in 2015. It may not seem like much but in essence this is taxpayer funded lobbying. Governor Snyder is using his salary granted by taxpayers to lobby on the behalf of a gas tax that was widely unpopular and still is.
2.  The most recent election on May 3rd mainly consisted of millage’s and bonds for local school districts. One of these school districts was Washtenaw where their proposition for a millage increase passed by a wide margin. It may have been a closer result if it wasn’t for the finance chair of Washtenaw School District, Barbara Reed, threatening that the district would have to cut $1 million if the initiative wasn’t passed. Ms. Reed is paid by the taxpayers of Washtenaw, and she used her position to lobby on behalf of something regardless of your opinion. Now some may argue that school districts need to lobby or else they will fail, but transparency should not be forgotten                                         .
3. Taxpayer funded lobbying is not only a problem in Michigan but it is a problem nationwide. Townhall.com reported that the federal government under Obama has been using and giving federal tax dollars for lobbying a variety of issues. This includes Philadelphia, where the city spent federal tax dollars to lobby for a tax increase on soft drinks. People are desperate for every last penny and it is disgusting that our government cares about their interest over ours.

Email us here at the Michigan Prosperity Project to learn more about this under reported yet crucial issue facing our state.