McKinney intends to hire a lobbyist to represent the city with state legislators, and it plans to split the cost with the Chamber of Commerce.

City Manager Frank Ragan said McKinney needs a full-time advocate to represent its interests during the biannual meeting of the Legislature, which starts in January.

"The sooner we can do this, the better," he said, "because my ears are already ringing with some of the things I'm hearing in Austin."

At a recent meeting, most council members supported hiring a lobbyist. But they were divided about sharing the cost – and an agenda – with the chamber.

"I think we ought to pay a lobbyist, but he ought to represent us," council member Bill Vitz said. "I'm not saying I'm against the chamber, but we need to make the decisions."

Council member Ray Ricchi, who is the chamber's elected chairman, said partnering with another entity has the dual benefit of giving the city an ally in Austin and reducing the cost.

"I'd be hard-pressed to find an issue that may come before Austin that the city and the chamber would be at odds over," he said.

The proposal calls for paying the lobbyist about $100,000, with the city and chamber each putting up half. Chamber officials said they would not pay their share from the organization's political action committee funds.

The Texas Ethics Commission regulates state lobbyists, usually paid professionals who try to influence members of the executive or legislative branches of state government.

A lobbyist would essentially serve as a smoke detector, monitoring the Legislature for conditions dangerous to the city and chamber, said chamber chairman-elect Keith Clifton.

"You've got to have someone on the ground," he said. "We all have day jobs. ... The lobbyist's day job is monitoring the Legislature for us."

Hundreds of businesses, groups and local government entities hire lobbyists. Dallas employs a team of lobbyists to promote its issues.

Critics say that paying lobbyists wastes money and that local officials should work with legislators to benefit communities.

"Someone needs to introduce our elected officials to the telephone or each other," said Peggy Venable, Texas director for the conservative Americans for Prosperity Foundation.

But Irving Mayor Herbert Gears said professional expertise is sometimes needed to navigate legal complications regarding water, transportation, property appraisals and other issues.

"Local elected officials are not full-time experts on very many topics," he said. "It's our responsibility to make sure it gets done. It's not always our responsibility to do it ourselves."

McKinney's proposal calls for a six-member panel to direct the lobbyist. The panel would have two City Council members and the city manager, plus two chamber members and chamber president Terri Ricketts.

Agreement among five of the committee members would be required to direct the lobbyist's actions on legislative issues. The committee would also formulate joint stances on regional, state and national initiatives.

If the two sides couldn't agree on an issue, each entity could separately promote its positions.

But Ms. Venable said governmental bodies frequently have points of view opposite those of their constituents. For instance, cities oppose efforts to cap property taxes and appraisals, while taxpayers overwhelming support such measures.

"I think most McKinney residents would be outraged if the lobby position taken is in opposition to those taxpayer protections," she said. "This is dangerous territory. They are stepping into quicksand."

Officials said they had not identified a lobbyist to hire. The City Council will vote on the issue once a decision is made and a contract is drafted, which is expected within two months.