Lobbying.ph, the web app created and run by developer Casey Thomas with the Philadelphia Public Interest Information Network, was updated earlier this month with newly-released Q2 lobbying data from the city.
Thomas again inputted data from the reports by hand (they are in PDF format on the city’s Ethics Board site).
That’s partly because the city still does not have an online database of the lobbying reports, but more because it allows Thomas to scrutinize each report and correct inconsistencies, which he says contributes to the goal of the tool: “to help journalists and citizens better understand and track lobbying activity” rather than to just be a database of lobbying reports.
Check out the updated site here.
He says it only took him about eight hours this time since he has a better feel for the reports.
Here’s a look at the organizations that have spent the most money lobbying Philly’s government officials so far this year, according to the city’s lobbying reports (click the links to go to the organizations’ Lobbying.ph landing sites to see what specific issues on which the lobbying action focused):
- Comcast Cable Communications, LLC: $75,669.43
- Verifone, Inc.: $44,317.73
- University City Science Center: $30,776.00
- Clear Channel Airports: $30,000.00
- ZipCar: $25,210.00
- Microsoft Corporation: $21,302.00
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