Georgetown Pays to Lobby State Legislature Against Citizens

Most citizens do not realize that cities pay to belong to state organizations that lobby state legislatures on behalf of the cities and often against the citizen's best interests.  Georgetown belongs to the Texas Municipal League (TML).

Arizona just decided that cities should not have the authority to hire lobbyist to lobby other government entities. Weekly Standard

Americans for Prosperity estimated that in Texas, "well over $50 million was spent on lobbying by local taxing entities," as of a few years ago. According to Texas Public Policy Foundation Vice President Chuck DeVore, Austin spends about $1 million every year to lobby, and "Texas school districts and special districts spent about $344 million in the 2009 legislative session." DeVore asks, "[s]hould a city have the right to use city taxpayer dollars to ask for more taxpayer money from the state?"

More in-depth information relevant to Texas is available at the Americans for Prosperity link above.

Some of the concepts that Texas Municipal League supports are directly against the interest of most citizens.

The Texas Municipal League came out in support of the Kelo v. City of New London decision, which affirmed the government's use of eminent domain for the purposes of economic development.

The Texas Municipal League wants cities to have more decision-making power. Legislative agenda item number one aims to defeat any legislation that would erode municipal authority in any way. This would include cities being allowed to self identify as "sanctuary cities."

The league opposes any legislative effort to give voters the right to reject property tax increases that exceed the rate of inflation and population growth!

Thus it is clear that TML often does not support the best interest of the taxpayer, but, of the city themselves.  It is time to support legislation that will stop taxpayers funds being used to lobby against citizens and taxpayers.