Western New York firms and organizations that employed New York State lobbyists in 2014; their costs; the names of the lobbyist firms

/ Ken Kruly

This post is mainly a “What We Know,” or perhaps a “what we know if we do a little digging” post.

When I worked at Canisius College one of my responsibilities was to serve as the school’s registered New York State lobbyist. I became familiar with the Lobbying Commission’s rules and procedures, including the periodic reports they require.

The Lobbying Commission later became the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, or JCOPE. As public agencies go, JCOPE is one of the more transparent. Among the things it does is publish an annual report on lobbying activities in the state.

The 2014 Report, issued at the end of April 2015, notes that $226 million was spent on lobbying activities on behalf of 4,607 clients. Ten years ago the total was $144 million. This includes compensation to lobbyists and their related expenses.  It does not include things like campaign contributions.  Whether JCOPE can determine the complete accuracy of what is reported to them about lobbyist compensation and expenses is not clear.

The Report indicates that the top ten client-to-lobbyist compensation and expenses totals range from $1,129,190 (AARP) to $9,633,488 (Families for Excellent Schools Inc.) in 2014. None of the local organizations make the top ten.

What follows is a list extracted from the 2014 JCOPE Report that summarizes the lobbyist hires and costs for identifiable firms and organizations in Western New York. Subsequent posts will review the lobbyist firms and campaign contributions.

WNY Firms and Organizations That Employed New York State Lobbyists in 2014

Dollar Dollar
Firm/Organization Compensation Expenses Lobbyists
Baker Victory Services                 45,000          1,672 Bolton St. Johns LLC
Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park                   5,000              878 Masiello, Martucci, Calabrese and Associates
Buffalo City Cemetery Inc.                 30,000              878 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Buffalo Computer Graphics                 35,000          4,500 Landen Associates LLC
Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors Inc.              151,704                 – Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Inc.                   2,500              170 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Inc.                 27,000              760 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Buffalo Niagara Partnership                 16,681                 – Buffalo Niagara Partnership
Buffalo Niagara Partnership   6,000              170 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Buffalo State College                 31,548                 – Buffalo State College
Buffalo State College                 24,996              850 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Buffalo Zoo                 24,000          1,115 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Buffalo/Lake Erie Wireless Systems Co. LLC                 37,000          1,116 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Canisius College                       520                 – Canisius College (FKA Kruly, Kenneth)
Canisius College                 36,000          1,115 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Catholic Health System              120,000         1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
City of Buffalo                 39,936          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
City of Lackawanna                 30,000              641 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
County of Niagara                 55,000          1,385 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Delaware North Companies Inc.              120,000          2,305 Meara, Brian R. Public Relations
Delta Sonic                   7,200    273 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Developmental Disability Alliance of WNY                 29,169          6,193 Drexelius, Jr., John R.
D’Youville College                 90,000          1,350 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted Center for Visually Impaired                   4,000                 – Owen, Tamara
Erie County Medical  Center Corporation                 60,000          2,226 Park Strategies LLC
Erie County Water Authority                 30,000                 – E-3 Communications
First Niagara Bank NA                   5,000                 – Sanfilippo, Jennifer
Frey Electric                 30,000              245 Richardson Management
GAR Associates Inc.                 24,000          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Hasek’s Heroes                 18,700              850 Bolton St. Johns LLC
John W. Danforth Company 36,000          1,115 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
John W. Danforth Company                 60,000          2,226 Park Strategies LLC
Kaleida Health                 50,000          1,540 Bolton St. Johns LLC
Kaleida Health              120,000          1,740 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Maid of the Mist Corporation                 60,000          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
McGuire Development Co.                   5,000    129 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Menorah Campus Inc. D/B/A Weinberg Campus                 30,000          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Niagara County Community College, Inc.                 60,000          2,226 Park Strategies LLC
Niagara County Community College                 22,500              210 Richardson Management
Niagara Falls Bridge Commission              108,000          1,672 Bolton St. Johns LLC
Niagara Falls Water Board                 48,000                 – E-3 Communications
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority                 72,000          1,285 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Niagara University                 30,000          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Noco Energy Co.                 48,000                 – E-3 Communications
North Buffalo Enterprises LLC                 16,200              857 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
People, Inc.                 30,000          1,403 Bolton St. Johns LLC
Queen City Landing LLC                 15,000              380 Bolton St. Johns LLC
Rosina Food Products, Inc.                 36,000          1,150 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Roswell Park Cancer Institute              120,000                 – Nixon Peabody LLP
Seneca Nation of Indians              180,000          3,607 Hinman Straub Advisors LLC
Seneca Nation of Indians                 30,000              509 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Shea’s Buffalo Theatre                 30,000          1,072 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
Sinatra & Company                 36,000 1,048 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
South Buffalo Development                 42,000              245 Richardson Management
South Buffalo Railway Company                 11,351          1,489 Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
SPCA Serving Erie County                          –          1,278 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
St. John Fruit Belt Development Corp.              104,250          1,115 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
TM Montante                 18,000                 – E-3 Communications
Toski & Co.                 24,000              245 Richardson Management
Trocaire College                 21,000                 – E-3 Communications
Try-It Distributing Company 30,500          1,098 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese
University at Buffalo                 66,471          7,451 University at Buffalo
Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc.                   4,976          2,628 Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc.                   3,645              160 Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc.
Western New York Energy LLC                 24,000          2,226 Park Strategies LLC
Western Regional Off-Track Betting                 36,000              245 Richardson Management
Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp.                 36,000          1,020 Lynch, Patricia Associates Inc.
Williamsville Suburban LLC                 10,000              129 Masiello,Martucci,Calabrese

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