Tuesday, March 25, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Updated reports on spending by lobbyists show they've spent $35,074 so far this session -- but only $6,821 of that directly on individual legislators.
Most of the money spent by advocates in January and February was for various group events. While many legislators attended those events, the amount attributed to them is included in their $6,821.
The $35,074 total is nearly $10,000 more than the amount that had been reported on a March 10 deadline for submitting the information. But even with the updated numbers, the total is less than the $39,000 spent by lobbyists in the first two months of the 1995 session.
Lobbyists began spending less in 1995, following the 1993 approval of a state law that for the first time required them to name names on their reports.
Also, they no longer report money they spend on one another since there's no requirement for such an accounting in the law.
The updated reports for January-February show Sen. Ray Shaffer, D-Las Vegas, leading all other lawmakers with $378 worth of meals and drinks for him and his wife.
Second on the list was Sen. Jack Regan, D-Las Vegas, at $249, followed by Assemblywoman Gene Segerblom, D-Boulder City, at $238.
Running fourth is Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, at $213; followed by Assemblyman Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, at $212; Sen. Lawrence Jacobsen, R-Minden, at $211; and Assemblyman Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, at $210.
Assembly Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington, and Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, got $199 apiece in meals and drinks; and Assembly Taxation Chairman Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, rounded out the top 10 at $184.
Six legislators didn't take anything from lobbyists, including Assemblywoman Merle Berman, R-Las Vegas; and Sens. Jon Porter, R-Henderson; Bernice Mathews, D-Sparks; Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas; Maurice Washington, R-Sparks; and Randolph Townsend, R-Reno.
To stay at zero, some of the lawmakers wrote checks to cancel out amounts linked to them by lobbyists accounting for group event expenditures.
A house-by-house comparison shows Assembly members were treated to $4,735 worth of drinks and dinners in January and February while the balance of $2,086 went to senators.
The top-spending lobbyist, in combined January-February spending, was Carole Vilardo of the Nevada Taxpayers Association, at $5,655. The money was spent on the NTA's 75th anniversary celebration.
Vilardo has questioned whether the entire amount should be listed on lobbyist reports since the NTA holds a big event every year -- even when Nevada's every-other-year Legislature isn't meeting. But she also says the event probably wouldn't have been held in Carson City unless the lawmakers were in session here.
Larry Osborne of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce was in second place at $5,321. His group put on a big bash when the session started in January.
Irene Porter of the Southern Nevada Home Builders and Builders Association of Western Nevada spent $4,423; and Dave Howard of the Greater Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce and the Nevada Chamber of Commerce Association was fourth at $4,280.
Several lobbyists representing Associated General Contractors spent a combined $4,168.
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