Fulton lobbyists could cost $260,000

After months of deadlock over how to handle the upcoming state Legislative session, on Wednesday the Fulton County Commission will consider hiring an outside lobbying firm at a cost of $260,416. Arnall Golden Gregory scored the best out of three bidders for the state- and federal-level lobbying job. Rusty Paul, a former Republican state senator and leader of the Georgia GOP, is a senior policy advisor at the law firm and co-chairs its government affairs team.

In the session starting Jan. 14, a Republican-dominated Legislature could move to shrink the county government’s scope of power. Some commissioners have expressed concerns that spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to lobby other elected officials would send the wrong message about fiscal responsibility.