Lobbyists: How do they hurt us? By Geniusodespair

Once in awhile an important article gets printed (Nov. 16th) in the Miami Herald with little fanfare. That was the case with Mattew Pinzur’s Lobbyist swarm shapes bid process for Dade recycling. We shouldn't just throw around the term "Lobbyist", we should understand how they effect the award of government contracts in a negative way and cost us money to boot. This article outlines that. It also shows how hiring "the right Lobbyist like, Al Cardenas (pictured above), can change the dynamics of the pack.

I previously posted on this Waste Pro contract Friday, November 02, 2007 - Bad County Commissioners but stupid Waste Pro may have had the wrong lobbyists.

Pinzur’s article is a must read. It is a good description of what goes on at county hall and why we here at Eyeonmiami say the lobbyists have a “Chokehold” on our County Government. For instance, this article states:

When it looked like his company was set to win a government contract worth more than $112 million, Brad Avery celebrated Miami-Dade style: He hired lobbyists. Mostly, he wanted them to prod county commissioners into accepting the contract, which was negotiated by Mayor Carlos Alvarez's administration and would make the county's curbside recycling program better and cheaper.

He could not deliver that message without lobbyists. ''Not in Miami-Dade -- in any other commission, yes -- but not in Miami-Dade,'' said Avery, who works in government affairs for Orlando-area firm Waste Pro.

He still failed, in part, because other bidders hired their own lobbyists -- more than 30 have registered. Commissioners rejected the Waste Pro deal this month....”

Note the vendor says: In any other commssion he could deliver his message without lobbyists but NOT in Miami Dade County. Read the article and you will see why the system is not only broken, it is costing you extra money on most contracts because Lobbyists are involved!