Six firms vie for City of St. Pete’s lobbying contract

Six firms are in the running to be St. Petersburg’s lobbyist in Tallahassee.

The contract, worth $50,000 last year, belonged to Peebles and Smith from Tallahassee. Its contract with the city expired Sept. 30 and the group has submitted a proposal to continue representing St. Pete.

The five other firms who have responded to the city’s request for proposal are:

Ballard Partners of Tallahassee — Amazon.com, American Traffic Solutions, and the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Jacksonville are among the firm’s many clients. According to LobbyTools, the firm earned more than $2.19 million in the second quarter, making it one of the top-earning firms in the state. In Tampa Bay, the firm is represented by Ana Cruz and Todd Josko.

Ron Book of Aventura — Book’s extensive client list includes the cities of Tallahassee, Pinellas Park, North Miami, and North Miami Beach; Miami-Dade, Brevard, and Broward counties; the Broward County Clerk of Court; and the Miami-Dade Public School System. According to LobbyTools, Book earned more than $1.55 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Capitol Alliance Group of Tallahassee — The firm boasts a wide range of clients across the state, including the City of Key West and Leon County. Other clients include the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida, the PGA Tour, and Tesla Motors. The Capitol Alliance Group’s team includes Dr. Jeff Sharkey and Taylor Patrick Biehl.

Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodwork, Capouano & Bozarth of Tallahassee — Lobbyist Pete Dunbar’s clients include the Pinellas and Manatee county commissions, Charlotte County, and the City of Clearwater. The client list also includes the Florida Ambulance Association, The Florida Bar, the Pinellas Education Foundation, and Tampa Bay Water.

Southern Strategy Group of Tampa Bay — Its clients include the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. In Tampa Bay, the firm is represented by Laura Boehmer, Seth McKeel, and David Shepp. According to LobbyTools, Southern Strategy Group earned more than $2.13 million in the second quarter of 2016, making it one of the Top 3 earners in the state.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has not seen the proposals yet nor has a timeline for choosing a candidate.