SGA to boost lobbying budget

Student Government Association President Michael Kilbride will push the senate to approve a $10,000 raise in the budget for SGA's lobbying firm GrayRobinson.

This means that out of the $17 million Activity and Service Fee budget, $56,000 would go toward GrayRobinson's services in the next fiscal year, as opposed to the $46,000 it has been allotted for the past five years.

Kilbride got the votes he needed from the ASF Committee at the meeting over the break and has plans to keep approval of the raise in action.

The increase passed in a 10-2 vote, with senator Alan Hardman saying the increase was irresponsible and did not directly affect individual students.

Kilbride said the $10,000 increase was requested from GrayRobsinson because of additional responsibilities brought on by changes made by the state legislature where, as of this year, the board of governors has more power to handle student's tuition.

To handle the cost, the money will come from the President's Initiative Account, a set amount within the budget that the SGA president can put toward a specific initiative or program that will remain earmarked for any incoming administration.

"Now that the board of governors has a more hands-on approval process when it comes to fees in our tuition, GrayRobinson now has additional responsibilities in representing us," he said.

"GrayRobinson will now be representing us with the board of governors, the state legislature in Tallahassee and in the Central Florida community. We're paying them the increase to help us monitor what's going on with the BOG and to continue the agreement."

Kilbride said GrayRobinson has not seen a financial increase in five years and that usually there's an increase in the cost of living with these types of agreements.

"It just happened to come this year with the additional jurisdiction the BOG has over tuition," he said.

Kilbride said that compared to other Florida universities, UCF's SGA charges a low fee for its lobbying firm.

Records show that the University of Florida currently charges their lobbyist, Capitol City Consulting, about $64,000 per year.

Fred Leonhardt, a P.A. from GrayRobinson who is in charge of the lobbying for SGA, said GrayRobinson hasn't asked for an increase in years and that they need the extra money for these new responsibilities.

"The number one thing we do for UCF SGA is assist them in dealing with the Florida Senate, the governor's office and then, if it's necessary, any of the other state agencies like the Board of Governors," he said.

Leonhardt described GrayRobinson's role with SGA as an intermediary between SGA's initiatives and Central Florida.

"If issues arise like code enforcement, or if students are living in private apartments and issues come [up] with their landlord, or if there are concerns over street lighting, traffic or crime we can go to the district county commissioner who can get the department heads of the county to assist with that specific issue," he said.

GrayRobinson helps SGA get their initiatives underway by getting them in touch with politicians in at the state and local level.

"We helped student body Vice President Taylor Lochrane with his campaign to get students not to text and drive," he said.

"We got him access to the secretary of the BOG, congressman Micah and others. We try and be responsive and help with anything SGA needs to have done."

Leonhardt said GrayRobinson tries to bring in people that it thinks student leaders would enjoy meeting, like the president of the Florida Senate and Governor Rick Scott.

These are the typical activities that the usual $45,000 in the budget goes toward, but according to Leonhardt, the additional $10,000 will be necessary in helping lobby for SGA with the BOG.

"We aren't in a relationship with any other university in the state," he said.

"The increase will help with breadth and depth of our activity with SGA and our new responsibility with the board of governors."