Nebraska public schools spent more than $457,000 last year on lobbying expenses, an amount that has increased recently despite a law that bans the use of state money for district lobbying.
The report by open-government group Common Cause Nebraska was given to The Associated Press before its formal release Friday. It shows the amount spent has trended upward from nearly $408,000 in 2008. The report says the 16 districts that spent on lobbyists last year
represent the largest in the state.
Critics say the money spent by larger districts with bigger budgets creates an unfair advantage over smaller districts that would struggle to afford a regular lobbyist in Lincoln.
