The Pasco County Commission last week voted to not renew the contract of its lobbyist when it expires next year. Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward told Inweekly he has no plans to discontinue his relationship with The Fiorentino Group.
Both Pasco County and Mayor Hayward pay their state lobbyists $60,000 a year.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who represents Pasco County, has called the practice of cities, counties, school boards and other local governments to hire Tallahassee lobbyists a “disgrace.â€
In an interview with Inweekly, Speaker Corcoran said, “The point is this, the concept that a public government would pay, with taxpayer dollars, somebody to go to another level of government and see what they can extract out of the taxpayers at that level, is one of the most reprehensible things that I think goes on in government today.â€
At its Nov. 29 meeting, the Pasco County Commission voted to not renew its agreement with lobbyist Shawn Foster, when the contract expires Nov. 30. 2017.
Inweekly caught up with Mayor Hayward on Friday at Pensacola State College’s press conference on the HighTech Initiative. The mayor said he is aware that Speaker Corcoran’s plans to crack down on lobbying by cities and counties.
Mayor Hayward said lobbyists are essential as a “part of doing business,†and they “amplify” the city’s voice and its initiatives. Since taking office in January 2011, the mayor Ashton Hayward has spent over $450,000 of taxpayer’s money lobbying the state and federal governments.
Mayor Hayward did laud Corcoran’s other rules to make House members and legislation more open.
“I applaud Corcoran for wanting to make (the House) more transparent,” Hayward said, pointing out, for example, the Land O’ Lakes politician plans to stop House members from inserting 11th hour expenditures into bills.