This carrot and a stick approach to lobbying usually works pretty well, particularly considering that Verizon's lobbying budget well exceeds the amount they owe the State
that would be like me spending $2000 on lawyers to avoid $1000 in taxes. DOES NOT COMPUTE.
You're applying common sense because you have a limited budget. VZ does not care how much money it has to spend because its pockets are deeper than god's.