City Lobbyist/Contractor Database

In order to a pay-to-play attitude in Pittsburgh, City Controller Michael Lamb is implementing a database where contractors and lobbyists will need to register in 2010. Lamb says the ultimate goal in mind is to provide transparency to the public. On OpenBookPittsburgh.com, lobbyists who spend more than 30 hours within three consecutive months talking with at least one city official to push legislation for someone else will need to register. Exceptions are volunteers who are doing an act of civil duty rather than a job. Lamb says the city also has the right to know if a contractor is using lobbyists for city business.
City Councilman Bill Peduto says citizens will be easily able to “connect the dots” with the database. This reform package was passed by City Council in May.