Groups Spent a Record $151 Million Lobbying in 2006

Businesses and special interest groups spent a record $151 million lobbying in Albany last year, the state Lobbying Commission said yesterday.Health care and mental health groups led the way in lobbying expenditures last year, doling out a total of $22.3 million. They were led by the Healthcare Association of New York State, the biggest overall lobbying spender at $2.23 million. The Medical Society of the State of New York spent $1.52 million while the Greater New York Hospital Association paid out $1.21 million, according to the Lobbying Commission’s annual report.The commission’s executive director, David Grandeau, said that with the current budget battle over health care spending between Governor Spitzer and health care groups, the amount spent by those groups is likely to rise even more.The first installment of broadcast ads lobbying against Mr. Spitzer’s health care cuts this year cost $4.5 million in just a few days, state lobbying records showed Friday.After HANYS, Verizon Communications Inc. spent the second most on lobbying — $2.2 million. Forest City Ratner Cos., the company behind the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, spent $2.1 million.The $151 million spent on lobbying in 2006 is up from $149 million in 2005 and $80 million in 2001.Good government groups said many of the top lobbying spenders are also among the biggest campaign contributors. They argue that gives the groups even more sway over state government decisions.The New York State United Teachers union spent $1.7 million on lobbying last year and contributed $1.4 million to politicians. HANYS spent another $296,000 on campaigns while the Greater New York Hospital Association gave another $500,000, according to data compiled by the New York Public Interest Research Group and the New York chapters of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters.Yesterday’s report will be the last from the Lobbying Commission. The agency is slated to become part of a larger Public Integrity Commission under a bill agreed to by Mr. Spitzer and legislative leaders.The new commission will be formed six months after Mr. Spitzer signs the bill into law. The bill has passed both houses of the Legislature.Separately, Mr. Grandeau said Paul Shechtman, appointed by Governor Pataki as chairman of the lobbying commission and the state Ethics Commission, should resign from both positions. Mr. Grandeau said that would let Mr. Spitzer appoint a new chairman to the commissions who could head the new combined agency.Mr. Shechtman did not immediately return a call for comment.

Groups Spent a Record $151 Million Lobbying in 2006

Groups Spent a Record $151 Million Lobbying in 2006

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