Contact: Donald McFarland | 651-236-0494

Note to Media: On Thursday, July 11, 2024, the OSA retracted the 2023 Local Government Services Report after a county alerted the OSA that there was an error in their reporting.

Saint Paul, MN – “Local lobbying costs increased 14% in 2023 – that’s the largest increase since 2005,” said Auditor Blaha.

State Auditor Blaha released the 2023 Local Government Lobbying Services Report. Local governments spent $12.6 million on lobbying activities in 2023. The total amount spent by local governments on lobbying includes entities that use their own employees, hire a contact lobbyist, or work with a local government association.

Over the past five years, local government lobbying expenditures on staff and contracted lobbyists have increased by 49 percent, or 24 percent when adjusted for inflation. During this same period, lobbying expenditures by local government associations rose nine percent. When adjusted for inflation, association lobbying expenditures decreased nine percent.

In 2023, 146 local governments (17 more than in 2022) reported that they directly employed staff or hired contract lobbyists.

Highlights of the report include:

• Local governments spent a total of $12.6 million on lobbying activities in 2023. This represents an increase of $1.5 million, or 14 percent, over the amount spent on lobbying services in 2022. Of the $12.6 million spent on lobbying in 2023, $7.6 million was attributable to local governments using their own staff or hired contract lobbyists, while $5 million was attributable to the lobbying activities of associations of local governments.
• In 2023, 146 local governments (17 more than in 2022) reported that they directly employed staff or hired contract lobbyists.^[1] These local governments spent a total of $7.6 million on staff and contract lobbyists.^[2] This was $1.1 million, or 17 percent, more than in 2022.
• 19 of the 146 local governments that directly employed lobbying staff and/or hired contract lobbyists reported over $100,000 in lobbying services expenditures, for a total of $3.9 million. These 19 local governments accounted for 51 percent of the total amount paid to contract and staff lobbyists in 2023.
• Local governments paid dues of $14.2 million in 2023 to local government associations that also represented their interests before legislative, administrative, or other governmental bodies.^[3] These associations spent $5.0 million on lobbyists and lobbying in 2023, an increase of 9 percent over 2022.
• Among the 25 local government associations that lobbied the Legislature on behalf of their local government members, 13 associations reported expenditures on lobbying/lobbyists in excess of $100,000 in 2023. These 13 associations accounted for $4.4 million, or 89 percent, of the total lobbying expenditures of associations in 2023.

You may view the complete report on the OSA Website.

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[1]The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District did not directly employ staff or hire a contract lobbyist, but reported lobbying-related expenses and is included in the 146 local governments.

[2]These expenditures do not include dues and membership fees paid to local government associations.

^[3]The local government associations identified in this report do not include various professional associations that lobby on behalf of specific professional occupations within local governments. For example, Education Minnesota is registered with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. However, because the association does not directly represent school districts or school district management personnel, its lobbying expenditures are not included in this report.