The amount of money spent lobbying the city has more than doubled over the past five years, according to the city clerk’s annual lobbyist report.

More than $44 million was paid to lobbyists in 2006 to advocate for more than 1,000 companies, unions, and other organizations. In 2001, $20.4 million was spent lobbying in the city.

“The lobbying industry is recession-proof, but is exploding when the city is booming,” the executive director of government watchdog group Citizens Union, Dick Dadey, said. “When the city does well, the lobbying industry does more than well.”

The top three lobbyists in the city for 2006 are Kasirer Consulting, which pulled in more than $3 million, Bolton St. Johns, Inc., which earned $2.46 million, and the Parkside Group, which collected $2.35 million last year.

The top 10 lobbyists took in nearly 45% of all money spent lobbying the city in 2006.

“When there is more money on the table and more buildings going up in the city, lobbyists are called upon to help elected officials make the decisions,” Mr. Dadey said.

Kasirer Consulting’s top four biggest clients, each spending $120,000 in 2006, were Care Plus, Silverite Construction Company, T-Mobile, and U.S. Power Generating Company.

Lobbyists who lobby any city government branch, agency, or official are required to register with city clerk’s office and disclose their clients and the amount they were paid for the work. Lobbyists are supposed to state exactly whom they lobbied in the city, but often they omit specific names when disclosing their activities to the city clerk’s office.

On Tuesday, the city unveiled a new campaign finance reform bill that would restrict the amount of money lobbyists can donate to candidates for city office.

Under the new legislation, lobbyists would be restricted to giving $250 to candidates in council races, $320 in borough races, and $400 in citywide elections. The standard limits for individual donors are $2,950, $3,850, and $4,950, for council, borough, and citywide elections, respectively.