Florida's faltering economy has hit a wide variety of businesses and special interests, leading to a decline in lobbyists at the state level.
But the decrease in overall lobbyists in the past two years has not made a significant dent in the amount of influence wielded by moneyed interests.
Veteran lobbyists say the harsh economic climate has pushed smaller interests and amateur lobbyists out of the game because clients are increasingly cutting their losses rather than trying to grab a piece of an ever-shrinking budgetary pie.
"What happens in tough times like these is, you have the core lobbyists there but you don't see a lot of these people who call themselves lobbyists," said Victoria Zepp, long-time lobbyist and managing partner of Zepp Strategic Partners.
According to the Florida Lobbyist Directory, there were 2,535 registered lobbyists in 2008. In 2009, that number dropped to 1,395. While the directory did not have available data for 2010, state documents show there were 481 registered lobbying firms at the end of 2009, compared to 461 as of Friday.
Zepp cited the unscientific 80/20 rule in describing the situation. In other words, 80 percent of the lobbying is done by 20 percent of the lobbyists. That statistic may not be based on hard data, but it has become a kind of aphorism among veteran lobbyists.
Many of those veterans attended the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists convention in Orlando this week. John Sebree, chairman of FAPL, said he has noted the decrease in lobbyists the past few years, but stated FAPL membership -- which now stands at about 400 -- has remained constant.
While larger interests, like the Florida Association of Realtors, which Sebree represents, will always have a stake in various pieces of legislation, many of the fly-by-night clients and lobbyists dedicated to one issue or one session have gotten out of the game.
"My group and so many others know they have to have representation," Sebree said.
The decrease in lobbyists has not impacted the kind of legislation that has been produced or not produced in Tallahassee, nor will it in the future, Sebree said.
"I can't think that would have much of an effect," he said.
Sebree acknowledged that the economy has affected long-time lobbyists as well, but said not all lobbyists are in a holding pattern.
"As long as the economy is as tight as it is, it presents challenges to us. But we also play offense," he said.
Part of that offense will include ingratiating themselves to freshman legislators soon after the Nov. 2 election. FAPL is planning an education session with incoming freshmen Nov. 16.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (321) 759-3152.
