Lobbying compensation: Tampa firms shine in third-quarter lobbying pay

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Mark Anderson, Louis Betz & Associates, Moore Relations and Sunrise Consulting Group earned six-figures plus last quarter.

Lobbying compensation reports for the third quarter aren’t due until Nov. 14, but some firms got their paperwork in early.

Among the early arrivals are reports from Mark Anderson, Louis Betz & Associates, Moore Relations and Sunrise Consulting Group.

The filings show each of the Tampa Bay-area firms could have earned six figures for the July through September reporting period.

Lobbying firms report their income in ranges covering $10,000 increments. Florida Politics uses the middle number of each range to estimate quarterly pay. Firms also list a broad range for their overall pay on their legislative and executive lobbying reports.

Mark Anderson

Anderson juggled 18 legislative clients and 16 executive branch clients last quarter.

Per his reports, the legislative effort netted he and fellow lobbyist Joshua Burkett an estimated $90,000.

Sitting alone at the top of the report was the Chief Executive Officers of Management Companies, which paid between $10,000 and $20,000 for the quarter. The rest of the list paid up to $10,000 apiece.

Anderson’s executive branch report showed another $85,000 in pay, with Chief Executive Officers of Management Companies again popping up with an estimated $15,000 in pay.

The bottom line of each report shows between $50,000 and $100,000 in compensation, giving Anderson’s third-quarter haul a floor of $100,000.

Louis Betz & Associates

Median earnings estimates for Louis Betz and Travis Mitchell show $80,000 in pay for the quarter — $65,000 in the Legislature and $15,000 in the executive branch.

If the duo’s seven paid legislative clients and three paid executive clients topped out in their reported ranges, the firm could have earned as much as $130,000.

Topping the legislative compensation report were American Traffic Solutions, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson and Waste Management Inc of Florida, each of which paid the firm between $10,000 and $20,000 last quarter.

Another four principals paid $5,000 apiece for legislative lobbying. The executive branch report lists another three contracts in the up-to-$10,000 range.

Moore Relations

Travis Moore’s solo practice netted at least $50,000 in legislative lobbying pay and $10,000 more lobbying the Governor and Cabinet.

The legislative report shows eight paid contracts, including a $15,000 check from the Risk Management Professionals’ Group.

The rest of the sheet fell within the up-to-$10,000 range, as did the two contracts listed on his executive compensation report.

While Moore’s median legislative estimate was $50,000, his overall legislative pay fell between $50,000 and $100,000. At the top end, he could have earned as much as $110,000.

Sunrise Consulting Group

The partnership of Shawn Foster and Sam Wagoner earned an estimated $140,000 last quarter.

Most of that cash — $115,000 — was listed on their legislative lobbying report.

More than half of the legislative tally came from four clients that paid around $15,000 each for the quarter: the Florida Bail Agents Association, Hernando County School Board, Pasco Hernando State College Foundation and Seven Diamonds.

The balance of the report was made up of $5,000 checks. The executive return added another five in that bracket, amounting to $25,000 in pay.

Sunrise Consulting Group indicated its Q3 legislative earnings fell between $100,000 and $250,000 while its executive report showed up to $50,000 more.

Drew Wilson

Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics. He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson, a University of Florida alumnus, covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics.



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