On May 1, voters in Lubbock will be deciding the fate of Proposition A, which would declare the City of Lubbock as a “sanctuary for the unborn.” A hot-button issue from the start, Lubbock is experiencing a heightened level of outside interest in this local election. Proposition A was placed on the ballot in response to the opening of a Planned Parenthood clinic, and the subsequent petition and City Council rejections of the sanctuary ordinance that opened the door for a vote. 

This article is Part 1 of a four-part series demonstrating how the money in a lobby sector can impact state politics and legislation. We’ve selected the Green Energy sector due to a resurgence of interest in a behind-the-scenes look at renewables following the 2021 snowstorms, but you can follow the money in any industry of interest that is spending lobbying dollars in Austin.

Now that lawmakers have convened in Austin, private citizens and PACs are no longer able to make political contributions, so the sole financial influence on lawmakers during the legislative session comes from lobbyists. In fact, in session and out, lobbying is by far the biggest source of money in Texas politics — and taxpayers are footing the bill for a lot of it. This look at the City of Houston is the first installment in our series analyzing the top taxpayer-funded entities in Texas.