Leon County Commissioners are putting a contract with a D.C. lobbying firm on hold. Commissioners are hesitant to commit to a specific firm with a presidential regime change looming.
For several years the County has used the firm Squire, Patton, Boggs to represent its interests in Washington. And with president elect Donald Trump’s inauguration coming soon, Commissioner Kristen Dozier says it makes sense to stay the course.
"From healthcare funding, to Georgia polluting rivers and going to talk to the EPA we have benefited greatly from just working with agencies. I am fearful of not having a representative in D.C.," Dozier says.
But other commissioners disagree, saying they don’t want to be locked into a new contract if it turns out that firm won’t work well with the new administration’s leaders. The board voted not to negotiate a new contract at this point. Commissioners plan to review the decision in three months and use county staff to fill in in the meantime. Commissioners earmarked 100-thousand dollars for federal lobbying in their recent budget.
