SF Ethics Commission

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 Table II: Activity Expenses Table III: Political Contributions Table IV: Payments Made to Influence Legislative/Administrative Action

The table lists candidates that 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. An example of a political contribution is when Lobbyist John Smith donates $400 to Supervisor Jane Thompson's campaign.

The table lists the activity expenses reported by filers and includes a breakdown of payments made by the filers. The table lists the filer, the date of the expense, the name and official title or position of each beneficiary of the expense and a description of the benefit conferred. The table also includes the total cost of the activity, the portion of the total cost of the activity which represents the value of the benefit conferred on each beneficiary and the name of the payee of the expense if it is different than the beneficiary.

Activity expenses include gifts, honoraria, consulting fees, salaries, and any other form of economic compensation totaling more than $20.00 in value in a calendar month. Section 16.523(i). 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.

This table lists each gift ticket and/or admission given to an officer of the City and County of San Francisco to attend political fund-raisers and events sponsored by 501(c)(3) organizations. The table lists the filer, the date of the political or charitable event, a description of the political or charitable event and the name and official title of the beneficiary of the gift ticket and/or admission.

An example of a gift ticket is when Lobbyist ABC Corporation gives Supervisor Jane Thompson a gift ticket to attend the Political Event Luncheon.

The report is broken down by type of filer. The first section details information on contract lobbyists. 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. These are firms and individuals hired to lobby for other parties. This section notes the identity of the clients reported by each filer, a description of the specific local legislative or administrative action which the lobbyist communicated with a City officer on behalf of a client, and the payments reported received from clients during the reporting period.

For example, Contract Lobbying Firm, a contract lobbyist, is hired by Building Company to lobby for changes in the building code. Contract Lobbying Firm is required to report the amount Building Company has paid for its lobbying services.

The second section details information on business and organization lobbyists. Filers must report a description of the specific legislative or administrative action regarding which an employee or member of the lobbyist communicated with any officer of the City and County on behalf of the lobbyists and payments made to influence local legislative. Filers must also report payments made to influence local legislative or administrative action, specifically, payments for or in connection with support or assistance of lobbyists, direct communications with a City or County officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action, or soliciting or urging persons other than the filer or the filer's employees to enter into communications with the City and County officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. This subsection details who the filer made payments to and the amount of the payment.

For example, The Mighty Giant Corporation, a business and organization lobbyist, makes a $10,000 donation to Green With Envy, an environmental lobbying organization to fund Green with Envy's fight against the Mayor's proposed environmental legislation because the Mighty Giant supports the general goals of Green With Envy. The $10,000 donation is not used for clerical services or regular overhead. The Mighty Giant must report the $10,000 donation because it was a payment made for the support or assistance of other lobbyists.

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. For example, The San Francisco Fog Corporation, a business and organization lobbyist, pays employee Maria Garcia to meet with City officers. During one reporting period, Maria Garcia's duties are evenly divided between lobbying City officers and unrelated duties. Under these circumstances, the San Francisco Fog Corporation must report half of Garcia's salary for the reporting period because it was a payment made for or in connection with direct communications with City officers for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action.

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. For example, One Big Corporation, a business and organization lobbyist, obtains the assistance of We Be Lobbyists, a contract lobbyist, to help One Big Corporation organize its mailing lists so that One Big Corporation may send a mailer urging citizens to contact the Board of Supervisors about a local legislative action. One Big Corporation pays $10,000.00 to We Be Lobbyists for its assistance. One Big Corporation also places an ad in the newspaper urging members of the public to contact City officers about an upcoming vote on campaign finance reform. One Big Corporation must report the amount of the payment made to We Be Lobbyists and the payment made to the newspaper for advertising space because these payments were made 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 officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action.

The third section details information on grassroots lobbyists. Filers must report a description of the specific legislative or administrative action undertaken. Filers must also report payments for or in connection with support or assistance of other lobbyists, payments for or in connection with direct communications with a City officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action, including payments to contract lobbyists for this purpose. Filers must also report payments for or in connection with soliciting or urging persons other than the filer or the filers employees to enter into communications with a City officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action.

For example, the Grassroots Group obtains the assistance of Contract Lobbyist to help Grassroots produce a direct mail piece to City officials, design a billboard message, and meet with City officials regarding the introduction of legislation. Grassroots must report the payment it made for producing a direct mail piece because it was a payment made for direct communication with City officials for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. Grassroots must also report the payment for the design of the billboard message because it was a payment made for soliciting or urging persons other than the filer or the filer's employees to enter into communications with a City officer for the primary purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action. Grassroots must also report the payment made for the meeting with City officials because it was a payment made for direct communications with City officers for the purpose of influencing local legislative or administrative action.