Forest Country News

After learning that up to $41 million per year is spent by local governments on Austin lobbyists, Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) called on cities, counties and school districts statewide to reveal their tax revenue spending on lobbying.

“Taxpayer-funded lobbyists have opposed property tax relief, election integrity, disclosures of what bonds truly cost taxpayers, the constitutional ban on a state income tax, and they even opposed the bill to fund and protect our teacher’s retirement pensions,” Middleton told East Houston News.

As previously reported by East Houston News, local governments are permitted to pay lobbyists with revenues collected from homeowners for various political causes or reforms, which may or may not benefit the taxpayer. 

The city of Chireno is among the cities that Rep. Middleton surveyed. Chireno City Administrator Steven Spencer disclosed that of the $1,221.97 paid to the American Public Gas Association (APGA) for membership, 17%, or $208, went to lobbying efforts. 

“We keep a membership with them purely for information so that we can keep abreast of any new regulations coming down,” Spencer told Forest Country News. “Anything that comes out that would be deemed harmful to public gas or wouldn't be in the best interest of the customers of public gas, APGA will lobby either for or against.”

Spencer added he provides no input to the APGA’s lobbying effort.

“The only choice you really have if you don't agree with what they're doing is to no longer pay dues to them, but I do not agree with some officials trying to silence cities and counties by making it to where they can't have a voice in Austin,” Spencer said in an interview. “I strongly believe cities should have a voice.” 

The city of Chireno is also a member of the Texas Municipal League (TML).

“I didn't include any money paid to the Texas Municipal League on our reporting because the Texas Municipal League made it clear that none of our dues are used for lobbying purposes,” Spencer said. “Advertisers is where they get the money for lobbying.”

Middleton, along with Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), filed bills last week that, if enacted, will ban cities, counties and school districts from hiring lobbyists with taxpayer revenue to advocate against laws that could potentially benefit homeowners statewide. The bills are identical, but Middleton filed HB 749 in the state House while Hall filed SB 234. 

“We actually do not levy a property tax here in Chireno,” Spencer said in response to the proposed bill. “We don't have the need to because the gas system supports the city. In a lot of other cities, people demand more and more services but want to pay less tax.” 

Chireno has a population of 389, according to Spencer.

“We have natural gas in three counties and that's really the only reason we're a city is because they formed a city to be able to build the natural gas,” he said.