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SF Ethics Commission

l0196

Quarterly Report on Lobbyist Activity
First Quarter 1996

First Quarter Summary of Earnings and Expenses
of Lobbyists Registered with The City
January 1 - March 31, 1996
 
Virginia C. Gee, Chairperson
Jane E. Rubin, Executive Director 		Report prepared by: Cheryl J. Bernstein, Special Assistant
Date Issued: April 26, 1996
 

LOBBYIST FILING FIRST QUARTER 1996

The staff of the San Francisco Ethics Commission has compiled the information filed by lobbyists for the first quarter (January 1 through March 31. Forty-six lobbyists filed reports with the City and County of San Francisco in the first quarter. Analysis of the information is provided in the following tables and documents:

Lobbyist Filing of 4/15/96 All Reported Activity

This table summarizes all reported activity for the first quarter. The lobbyists are listed in alphabetical order. Lobbyists will hereinafter be referred to as filers.

Table I: Payments Received From Clients

Filers must report the total payments received from clients during the reporting period. This reporting requirement only applies to Section 16.520(a) contract lobbyists. These are firms and individuals hired to lobby for other parties. For example, ABC Lobbying Firm, a contract lobbyist, is hired by A-1 Building Company to lobby for changes in the building code. ABC Lobbying Firm is required to report the amount A-1 Building Company has paid for its lobbying services. Table I shows the payments filers reporting having received from clients listed in descending order of amount. The total payments reported by filers from clients during the first quarter was $193,924.45.

Table II: Activity Expenses

Filers must report the activity expenses that were made during the first quarter. An example of a filer activity expense is when Lobbyist John Smith takes Supervisor Jane Thompson to breakfast. Lobbyist John Smith must report the following: date the meal took place, the name of the restaurant, the name and position of the city official, the amount spent on the city official’s meal, a description of the activity (i.e. breakfast), and the total amount the breakfast cost. Table II displays the activity expenses reported by filers in descending order of amount. The total of reported activity expenses during the first quarter was $46,658.57.

Table III: Political Contributions

Filers must report all political contributions of $100 or more made during the first quarter. Lobbyist John Smith must report if he donates $400 to Supervisor Jane Thompson’s campaign. Table III indicates the political contributions reported by filers in descending order of amount. The total of reported political contributions given by filers during the first quarter was $26,350.00.

Table IV: Support or Assistance of Lobbyists

Filers must report payments for or in connection with support or assistance of other lobbyists. This requirement applies only to Section 16.520 (b) and 16.520 (c) lobbyists. Section 16.520 (b) lobbyists are business lobbyists: businesses and associations who lobby on their own behalf. Section 16.520 (c) lobbyists are grassroots lobbyists: individuals who spend more than $1,000 a month on their own behalf. For example, One Big Corporation, a business lobbyist, obtains the assistance of We Be Lobbyists, a contract lobbyist, to help One Big Corporation organize its mailing lists. One Big Corporation pays $10,000.00 to We Be Lobbyists for its assistance. One Big Corporation must report the amount of the payment made to We Be Lobbyists for their assistance. Similarly, The Grassroots Society, a grassroots lobbyist, obtains the assistance of We Be Lobbyists, a contract lobbyist, to help The Grassroots Society organize its mailing lists. The Grassroots Society pays $100.00 to We Be Lobbyists for its assistance. The Grassroots Society must report the amount of the payment made to We Be Lobbyists for their assistance. Table IV contains the reported amount of payments for or in connection with support or assistance of lobbyists in descending order of amount. The total reported payments made during the first quarter was $122,561.63.

Table V: Direct Communications With A City Officer

Filers must report payments for or in connection with direct communications with a City and County officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. This requirement applies only to Section 16.520 (b) business lobbyists and Section 16.520 (c) grassroots lobbyists. The San Francisco Fog Corporation, a business lobbyist, pays Maria Garcia, a San Francisco Fog Corporation employee, to meet with city officers. The San Francisco Corporation must report employee Maria Garcia’s salary. Similarly, a grassroots lobbyist, From the Roots Up, pays Bill Jones, a From the Roots Up employee, to meet with city officers. From the Roots Up must report employee Bill Jones’ salary. Table V contains the amount of payments reported for or in connection with direct communications with a City and County officer in descending order of amount. The total reported payments made during the first quarter was $49,237.34.

Table VI: Soliciting or Urging Persons

Filers must report payments for or in connection with soliciting or urging persons other than the filer or the filer’s employees to enter into communications with a City and County officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. This requirement applies only to Section 16.520 (b) business lobbyists and Section 16.520 (c) grassroots lobbyists. For example, The City by the Bay Corporation, a business lobbyist, places an ad in the newspaper urging members of the public to contact city officials about an upcoming vote on campaign finance reform. The City by the Bay Corporation must report the payment to the newspaper. Similarly, San Franciscans Unite, a grassroots lobbyist, places an ad in the newspaper urging members of the public to contact city officials about an upcoming vote on campaign finance reform. San Franciscans Unite must report the payment to the newspaper. Table VI contains the amount of reported payments for or in connection with soliciting or urging persons other than the filer or the filer’s employees to enter into communications with a City and County officer in descending order of amount. The total reported payments made during the first quarter was $22,620.10.

Lobbyist Contributions to City-Wide Candidates

The table lists each candidate who received a political contribution from a filer during the first quarter. The table also lists other entities, such as ballot measure committees, that received contributions during the first quarter. The table includes the name of the filer and the amount given.

List of Clients

Filers must report the full name, business address and telephone number of each client. This requirement applies only to Section 16.520 (a) contract lobbyists. This document notes the identity of the clients reported by each filer and the total payments reported received from clients during the reporting period.

Local Legislative or Administrative Actions

Filers must report a description of the specific local legislative or administrative action which the lobbyist communicated with a City officer on behalf of a client [contract lobbyists], herself [business lobbyists], or in connection with soliciting or urging others [grassroots lobbyists]. This document lists the name of the filer and a corresponding description of the reported local legislative or administrative actions communicated to a City officer.

 

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