Unions Spending to Promote Spending

Real Clear Politics - Lobbying the Legislature usually means picking up the tab for dinners and receptions for lawmakers, but a union representing teachers and other education workers took a different approach this year by focusing on voters. The American Federation of Teachers-New Mexico spent $361,000 on an advertising campaign to promote an early childhood education proposal an amount that nearly matched the combined expenditures by lobbyists for food, drinks, gifts and entertainment for lawmakers, their staff and other state officials during the first four months of the year. The union and its political committee used mailings, radio ads and newspaper advertisements to try to build support among parents and other voters for a proposed constitutional amendment to increase state money for services to children under the age of 5.

The measure had the backing of a coalition of religious groups, unions, child-care providers and social advocacy organizations. It would have increased the yearly payout from the $10 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund and earmarked a portion of the money for early childhood programs. Union President Christine Trujillo said statewide marketing was done "to ensure that people who are normally not involved or engaged in the political process would understand that this is a very basic request. We want to provide funding for kids who desperately need it." Money for the lobbying campaign came from a grant from the national union and Trujillo hopes the local chapter can get another allocation of money to renew its push for the early childhood education initiative in next year's Legislature. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Unions Spending to Promote Spending