Led by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, business groups — including oncologists, the Minnesota Vikings football team and tobacco companies — accounted for nearly half of the $56.5 million spent lobbying state legislators last year.
The chamber spent $2 million in 2012, according to a new report from the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. The next largest single spender was Education Minnesota, the state's teachers union, which spent just more than $1 million, including about $700,000 for television ads urging voters to make education issues an election year priority.
The spending by business groups produced some recent triumphs — the Vikings will soon have a new stadium and lawmakers did not raise taxes — and some disappointments — the GOP Legislature did not produce a health insurance marketplace bill and Dayton put a stop to some education overhaul proposals.
"We certainly had our share of frustrations last session but also had some successes," said Laura Bordelon, the chamber's senior vice president of advocacy.
Despite lobbying efforts that appear unabated, business groups may see less satisfaction this year. The governor and DFL legislators have already created a new health marketplace law that big business groups and health insurance companies opposed. Dayton and lawmakers also are eyeing higher income, tobacco and transit taxes.
"Every year is offense and defense. … This is a year when we are playing more defense. We've had some trouble moving some of our priorities," said Bordelon.
Labor groups, which spent about $3 million on lobbying last year, may see more success. As voters replaced a Republican Legislature with a Democratic one, labor's issues have taken on new prominence.
"The people that got elected, we believe, are pro-education, pro-labor people," said Tom Dooher, Education Minnesota president. "The governor, the House and the Senate all agree that education is a priority."
