AARP Hawaii tops list
for lobbying expensesThe group fought for a state
drug discount for senior citizensTop 10 spenders
Winning over the hearts and minds of Hawaii's legislators has cost the American Association of Retired Persons' Hawaii chapter $77,300 for the first four months of the year.
According to the preliminary figures collected by the state Ethics Commission, AARP tops the list of expenses paid to lobby the Legislature.
"We believe money is an absolute necessity, and you need money to win," says Gregory Marchildon, Hawaii AARP state director.
Under state law, each of Hawaii's about 250 lobbyists must file a report three times a year, covering their expenses from January through February, March through April and May through December.
The preliminary reports for the first two periods are in, and they show that so far this year, lobbyists have spent $1.5 million to persuade legislators to see things their way.
In comparison, last year at this time, lobbyists had spent $1.7 million.
By the end of 2003, lobbyists at the Legislature tallied up $3.5 million in expenses, just $40,000 less than the 2002 total.
State law says anyone who is paid to lobby more than five hours a month, or spends more than $750 to lobby, must register with the Ethics Commission and report their expenses.
Marchildon said AARP does not make campaign contributions to lawmakers and does not support or oppose candidates for election, but it is a strong advocate for various issues. This year, AARP was successful in getting legislative approval for a new low-cost prescription drug program for Hawaii seniors, called Hawaii Rx.
"We have to be able to spend in ways that our message will be heard," Marchildon said.
"We held forums on Hawaii Rx in February and March. To get people to come requires advertising, direct mail; then we fed the people, rented the hall and even rented the sound system," Marchildon said.
Public information campaigns are a new way to show legislators that the voters agree with the group's position, Marchildon said. The public's image of lobbyists springing for fancy dinners or golf junkets does not fit the AARP lobbying plan.
"None of the money was spent on parties for legislators, wining or dining, or sending their families to the Hilton Waikoloa," Marchildon said.
Still, he acknowledged that without money to convey your message, it is hard to be heard at the Legislature.
"In order to compete in a lobbying world dominated by dollars, we have to spend in a strategic and effective way in order to get some wins," Marchildon said.
Tim Lyons, a veteran lobbyist, said that the ethics reports might not always tell the whole story because sometimes companies have a person on staff who handles government relations all year but only has to report the amount spent during the legislative session, and other expenses are not included.
Lyons added that lobbyists in Hawaii no longer rely on dinners and golf to lure a legislator.
"It is still personal contacts, but there is not so much of the taking people out to dinner and patting them on the back," Lyons said.
"People's time has just become too valuable. The business dinners or the association banquets are way down.
"If anything, it is a personal contact so you can explain issues," said Lyons, who represents care home administrators, Anheuser-Busch, the Hawaii Business League and several building and contractor associations.
"The more exposure you can have with people who are making decisions about you, the better it is, as long as it is a favorable exposure," Lyons said.
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The bucks don’t stop here
These are the top 10 big spenders in legislative lobbying, according to preliminary reports filed with the state Ethics Commission. The reports cover the first four months of 2004.>> American Association of Retired Persons, $77,300
>> Unity House Inc., $57,898
>> Hawaii Association of Realtors, $56,095
>> ChevronTexaco Corp., $48,681
>> Hawaii Health Systems Corp., $39,332
>> Hawaii State Teachers Association, $35,822
>> Western States Petroleum Association, $34,000
>> Hawaii Government Employees Association, $32,588
>> Hawaii Tourism Authority, $30,000
>> Tesoro Hawaii Corp., $30,000
Source: Hawaii State Ethics Commission, www.state.hi.us/ethics