Milwaukee Bucks named Top Lobbying Organization in first half of 2015

The Milwaukee Bucks spent $482,496 lobbying the Wisconsin Legislature in the first six months of 2015 to help pass the Bucks Arena plan.

The report comes from the Government Accountability Board which says lobbying overall increased in 2015 compared to 2013 when the state’s budget is being debated. Lobbying organizations spent $18.5 million from January through June compared to $17.2 million in 2013. However, lobbying activity remained below the $23.9 million spent in the 2011 budget period.

While lobbying spending increased, the number of hours spent lobbying decreased from 124,857 hours in 2013 to 123,522 in 2015.

The Top 10 Lobbying Organizations ranked by money spent are:

1. Milwaukee Bucks, 208 hours, $482,496
2. Wisconsin Hospital Association Inc. (WHA), 2,755 hours, $378,816
3. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, 2,765 hours, $348,733
4. Wisconsin Infrastructure Investment Now Inc., 2 hours, $329,180
5. Wisconsin Property Taxpayers Inc., 2,909 hours, $283,339
6. Americans for Prosperity, 565 hours, $268,715
7. Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, 1,188 hours, $232,892
8. Wisconsin Counties Association, 2,366 hours, $192,108
9. Wisconsin Realtors Association, 1,563 hours, $182,674
10. At&T Wisconsin, 578 hours, $180,839

The lobbying totals do not include any lobbying done during the special legislative session called in July to finish the budget bill and consider Milwaukee Bucks arena funding and a 20-week abortion ban.