Q&A
Staffing challenges in the Lobbying Bureau
0:13:35
·
86 sec
Michael McSweeney outlines the staffing challenges faced by the Lobbying Bureau, highlighting the disproportionate workload compared to similar state-level offices. He explains how the small team manages to handle their responsibilities despite limited resources.
- Lobbying Bureau operates with only five full-time staff members
- Comparison to the state lobbying commission, which has over 20 people focused on similar work
- Description of how the team juggles various responsibilities throughout the year, including enforcement, training, and audits
Michael McSweeney
0:13:35
So that's just one area.
0:13:38
On the lobbying side, we have a very small group of of dedicated people.
0:13:47
Doing the work that in New York State, we have, I think, you know, we we have five people working full time.
0:13:56
In the lobbying bureau.
0:13:57
And compared, we have more than half of the number of people that the state lobbying issue, a colo leg, I think, is what it's now referred to has.
0:14:07
And I think they have, you know, over twenty people just focused on lobbying.
0:14:11
So we're doing like the lion you know, that kind of work with five people.
0:14:16
So we know how to juggle work, and I'm very fortunate to have a dedicated, smart excellent team, but it you you know, we get everything done because we've we've kinda learned how to do things on a on a calendar basis.
0:14:30
So we do enforcement in the beginning of the year.
0:14:34
We, you know, we just got through our first round of appearances at o all of the adjudication of lobbying issues are done at oath, and and then we do training in the second half of the year.
0:14:47
So and then we do audits throughout the year.
0:14:50
So it it you know, right now, we're we need more people in the lobbying bureau.
0:14:55
It's just if somebody were to be out sick or if somebody were to leave, we would be in a big jam.
