To follow-up on a story I noted about Jefferson County, Alabama, The Birmingham News editorializes about the county commission’s decision to hire the most expensive lobbyist who bid here.

Hiring a lobbyist is irresponsible.

Even during the best of times financially, a government body paying a private firm to lobby another branch of government is almost always an unnecessary and wasteful practice. When money is tight, as it is now, throwing away precious tax dollars in this manner is inexcusable.