Museum Plaza LLC hired seven lobbyists in January and six in February to help them sell the TIF legislation that was moving through the legislature. Museum Plaza will get up to $130 million in taxes and other incentives if Governor Fletcher signs the bill. Bob Gunnell, Mike Helton, Rachel Phelps, Mike Shea, Kevin Payton and Leigh Ann Thacker all collected at least $2000 in lobbying fees from Museum Plaza in February, according to records filed with the Legislative Ethics Commission. Museum Plaza reported spending $26,000 on lobbyists in January and February. The Kentucky Tourism Council, which opposed diverting Louisville hotel tax money to the project, spent about $3600 on lobbying fees in February. Former State Rep. Bob Heleringer was also lobbying against the bill but had not filed his February report at the time of this post.

There are other interesting tidbits in the lobbyists reports. KY Rent-A-Car Association paid Bob Benson a hefty $25,000 in January. The reports for February aren't listed yet.
The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) shelled out a total of $32,000 for its lobbyists in the first two months of this year. TARC is a public agency. The insurance industry has spent at least $109,000 on lobbying in January and February with many companies not reporting their fees paid in February.

The reports were due today, March 15. If you'd like to search for your favorite lobbyist and their earnings, go to:
http://klec.ky.gov