N.C. Association of Realtors tops state lobby spending

N.C. Association of Realtors, reported spending nearly $1 million on lobbying in 2007, according to figures released by watchdog group Democracy North Carolina. The group, which poured money into defeating several public referenda on the land-transfer tax, spent more than $92,000 on compensation for its six lobbyists. See the spending rankings here: lobbyingspending2

Nearly 900 businesses, trade associations and nonprofit groups spent $22 million on lobbying efforts that year, which, like 2009, was a long legislative session. Democracy N.C. has more detail in its press release: lobbyprincipalspend07release

Former Asheville state senator Steve Metcalf of The Policy Group, Inc., is North Carolina’s highest-paid lobbyist, earning $485,000 in 2007 from his 14 clients, which that year included the N.C. Pork Council, Festiva Resorts and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. See the rankings of lobbyists’ pay here:lobbyistspay1