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Record amount goes for TV and radio advertising

Record spending on television and radio advertising campaigns caused a large increase in spending by lobbyists with an interest in state government activities during 2010, Jeff Brindle, state Election Law Enforcement Commission director, announced Wednesday.

In a year when lobbying expenditures declined nationally, spending in New Jersey jumped to $65.6 million, a record high, and a 13.9 percent increase over the $57.6 million spent a year earlier. It was also the biggest year-to-year increase since 2006.

Despite the upsurge in spending, the number of lobbyists fell for the third straight year. The total dropped from 1,001 in 2009 to 965 in 2010 — a 3.6 percent reduction. The highest average ever was 1,043 in 2008.

The biggest spender was the New Jersey Education Association, the statewide 204,000 -member teachers’ union, which spent $6,611,499 to finance its bitter ongoing political battle with Gov. Chris Christie.

Nonprofit Excellent Education for Everyone, an advocate for charter schools, was a distant second, spending $458,928. Another union, the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, spent $121,750 on communications. A second non-profit group, Reform Jersey Now, Inc. disclosed $402,932 in spending.

By contrast, total federal lobbying expenditures in 2010 fell $104 million- or 2.9 percent- to $3.5 billion, according to Roll Call.

Brindle said the surge in spending is not too surprising given that the governor’s seat switched from Democrat to Republican for the first time in a decade. Christie’s election led to major budget cuts and many dramatic new policy initiatives.

“There were many hot button issues last year, and it obviously caused a sharp reaction,’’ Brindle said. “The slowly improving economy could be another factor in the higher spending, he added, noting that “during the previous four years, overall lobbying spending hovered around $55 million.”

Spending on communications- primarily television, radio broadcasts and printed mailers- jumped to $10.3 million. The previous high occurred in 2006, when a legislative showdown between the telecommunications and cable industries prompted $6.6 million in spending on communications. Last year’s total- a 69 percent increase from the year before- was three times the $3.2 million average of the previous ten years.

The other top outlays for communications were: Exelon Corp/Exelon Generation Co. $446,456, Competitive Suppliers Coalition $348,179, New Jersey Credit Union League $177,048, New Jersey Hospital Association $136,748, AARP NJ $100,733, and Health Care Institute of New Jersey $99,581.

Brindle said the increasingly heavy spending on communications reflects the changing nature of lobbying from an industry that once exerted its influence primarily through face-to-face meetings to one that emphasizes mass media campaigns.

“The center of lobbying activity seems to be shifting away from more traditional personal lobbying to grassroots lobbying, or issue advocacy,’’ Brindle said. “Those in the lobbying community know that to win policy battles, it helps to have public opinion on your side.

“The increased magnitude of spending on communications, or grassroots lobbying, suggests that the advocacy explosion that began at the national level is coming to New Jersey,’’ Brindle added.

Last year, lobbyists spent a total of just $7,715 on food and other gifts, and were reimbursed $1,748 by some recipients.

The $7,715 in benefits received is the lowest since ELEC began keeping records in 1982. The activity peaked at $163,375 in 1992 and has steadily declined ever since. Seventy-three specific benefits were distributed by lobbyists last year at an average value of about $79.

Brindle said the one-time tradition of so-called lobbyist benefit passing has all but vanished due to stricter gift restrictions enacted in 2004, annual disclosure by ELEC, and a steady stream of news accounts that has brought a public focus to the issue.

“Most public officials, to their credit are hard working, honest individuals who want to avoid even the appearance of being influenced,” Brindle said. “Moreover, our strong disclosure laws, in addition to the changing nature of lobbying, have worked to discourage lobbyists from passing benefits.”

The number of lobbyist clients grew from 1,820 to 1,998- up 178, or 9.8 percent. That contrasted with the loss of 181 clients between 2007 and 2009- the largest such loss of clients over a two-year period since ELEC began keeping statistics.

Registered lobbyists hold about 227 appointed seats on public authorities, boards and commissions. While lobbyists are required to disclose such appointments, they are not required to reveal if their firms earn fees representing any public authorities, boards or commissions. Some do disclose this information voluntarily.

ELEC has recommended that disclosure of lobbying by public entities become law. It also has recommended that lobbyists disclose their efforts to influence local governmental officials. Currently, only lobbying of state officials is subject to disclosure.

Towns, counties and other public agencies spent about $900,000 on lobbyists last year, according to the annual reports of lobbyists. With the practice attracting increasing attention last year, the figure represented a 51 percent decrease from 2009, when an estimated $1.9 million was spent by public entities to hire lobbyists.

As usual, in-house salaries remain the biggest expense, accounting for $34.5 million, or 52 percent of all outlays. Communications expenses showed the largest increase, rising 69 percent.