The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

City hires new lobbyists for Moffett

By Justin Berton

A new team of lobbyists in Washington D.C. will represent the city of Sunnyvale for issues related to the Moffett Federal Complex, after councilmembers approved hiring the new firm at the Sept. 22 meeting.

Council voted 5-2 to pay MARC Associates $96,000 plus expenses for the next year to push for legislation on two projects at the federally owned complex: funding and construction of a new hangar for the 129th Air Guard and the creation of the Western Disaster Center.

The city hopes both projects can serve as long-term anchors at the site and help lure other tenants to the facility.

Councilmember Pat Vorreiter, who moved that the council take the action, said the hiring would help Sunnyvale, "continue its objective to maintain the facility as a federal facility."

Vorreiter said the city's former lobbyists were helpful in securing legislation on behalf of the city's goals, and hoped MARC Associates would be able to do the same.

Currently on the desk of Gov. Pete Wilson is bill AB 1738, which, if signed before Sept. 30, would provide $1 million in seed money for the Western Disaster Center.

But not all councilmembers welcomed the hiring of new lobbyists. Councilmember Stan Kawczynski, who has adamantly opposed paying for lobbyists in the past, called the hiring a "tragedy."

Kawczynski maintained elected officials and citizens should lobby members of congress, not paid-for lobbyists.

Responding to Kawczynski's comments on grassroots lobbying, Councilmember Manuel Valerio said, "So far it has been a team effort--however, it is important to have expertise at the decision-making process."

The new lobbyists come at a bargain for the city, compared to the previous firm of Black, Kelly, Scruggs and Healy.

The city paid its former lobbyists $20,000 per month plus expenses. Over the course of three years, the city paid the lobbyists up to $750,000.

Now, the city will pay $8,000 per month plus expenses for MARC Associated.

Dan Rich, an administrative assistant for the city manager said the city is paying less for two reasons: the new lobbyists are focused on two issues, and their rates are simply cheaper than the previous firm.

The city's contract with Black expired last month when the firm notified the city in a letter that it was not interested in renewing. Rich said one reason the firm discontinued the contract was because it subcontracted most of its work, and deemed the profit margin minimal compared to its efforts.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, September 30, 1998.
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