JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Steve Tilley is no stranger to the Capitol, and with almost an entire session under his belt in his new role, he’s no stranger to lobbying, either.
Tilley started Strategic Capitol Consulting — his lobbying and political consulting firm — last August, and has progressively accumulated about 15 clients between the two services he offers. And he manages it all on his own, for now.
After serving in the House of Representatives from 2005 to 2012, spending almost four years as Majority Floor Leader and two years as Speaker of the House, Tilley said his comfort level with the lay of the land in Jefferson City is high.
“Whenever I announced I wasn’t going to run for lieutenant governor, I had people approach me that said I should consider [lobbying],” Tilley said. “I was going through a divorce at the time and starting over in my personal life, so I said I wanted to get through my speakership and session before I even consider a different profession.”
Policymaking has always been something Tilley said he enjoys as well as politics, which benefits him in this new role, in addition to understanding the intricacies of the building and the processes, he said.
His favorite part of what he does: the relationships with other people in the building.
“The building is filled with amazing people that take time out of their lives to be public servants,” he added.
In his first session as a lobbyist, Tilley said one of his main issues has been the transportation sales tax bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Cole County. Additionally, the electric rate legislation — commonly known as the “ISRS” bill — has been another big issue for Tilley as he represents Fair Energy Rate Action Fund, which opposes Senate Bill 207, also sponsored by Kehoe, and House Bill 398.
After the final week of session, Tilley said he would be spending a few weeks writing reports for clients, reviewing what happened during session and discussing outcomes. After some vacation time with his family mid-summer, he said he would travel the state one day a week to visit legislators.
“Sometimes in the hustle-bustle world of the Capitol, you lose those opportunities,” he said. “I liked going into districts and meeting with legislators when I was Floor Leader — I think I’ll probably do that again.”
Tilley admits that he’s coming at lobbying with a unique perspective, though he’s certainly not the only former elected official to become a lobbyist.
“I’ve covered the full spectrum,” he said. “I was a small business owner, donor and activist before politics. Then, I got into politics and was fortunate enough to be [in leadership]. I’m back as a small business owner, plus I’m still a shareholder in Clarkson Eye Care. I’ve run the full gambit.”
Admitting that lobbyists might not always have the best reputation, he said he’s learned the building is filled with “talented and dedicated” new colleagues.
“Being on the other side has given me a new-found respect for what [lobbyists] do,” he said.
Listing John Bardgett and Rodney Boyd as two top examples, Tilley said he’s glad to have found friends in the lobbying corps that he can truly look up to.
Down the road, Tilley said he hopes to bring other people on board as part of Strategic Capitol Consulting.
“As business grows, that’s certainly a possibility.”
To contact Ashley Jost, email ashley@themissouritimes.com, or via Twitter at @ajost.
Ashley Jost is no longer with The Missouri Times. She worked as the executive editor for several months, and a reporter before that.