Grassroots Advocacy Tips for Municipal Officials
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Whether your municipality is a city, town or village and the population is 20 or 1 million, Florida’s municipal governments strive each day to deliver their services in an effective manner. The Home Rule Powers Act, passed in 1973, provides that municipalities in Florida have the authority to govern themselves locally, independent of state control. Preserving Home Rule, educating citizens on this valuable authority, and maintaining a focus on those issues that affect self-governance, service delivery and the quality of life of each municipality are essential goals of the Florida League of Cities.
The foundation of the League’s legislative activities is rooted in the belief that “All Politics is Local”; recognizing that the best strategy for sustained legislative success is one that engages local participation on a continuous basis. This concept is a fundamental component to proactively advancing the issues of municipalities to state and federal policymakers.
Advocacy Tips
It is essential that in order to be effective with the members of the state Legislature, a good relationship must be built and maintained with your House and Senate members.
Stay Informed on the Issues - The House and Senate convene for the regular legislative session every year. During this time, the Legislature is making important decisions on legislation that may have a direct impact on your city. You can’t lobby what you don’t know! Stay abreast of the issues through the local media and the Florida League of Cities.
Use the League - Remember that League staff will be informed of the critical issues and can assist you in your advocacy efforts. They can also assist in tailoring the information to explain what an issue means to your hometown.
Read the League’s Publications - The League’s Legislative Bulletin is published every week during the Legislative Session with timely information on key municipal issues that are being considered by the Legislature. Other annual legislative publications include the League’s “Legislative Policy Statement,” “Legislative Action Agenda” and the “Legislative Final Report.”
Get Personally Acquainted with Your Legislators - Make it your business to become personally acquainted with your senator and representative. Take a sincere interest in them and get to know their political philosophies. If you contact your legislators only when you want their support on a legislative matter, it might be too late. Communicate through your legislator’s local office and don’t wait until session begins to initiate this dialogue.
Invite Your Legislators to Special Events - Invite your legislator(s) and staff to local and regional league meetings as guests or speakers. Also invite them to town festivals or other city events as guests or participants. This will give them an opportunity to know you and your citizens.
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Get to Know Your Legislator’s Staff - It is also helpful to know your legislator’s staff. Frequently, you may need to call the legislator to communicate your position on a particular issue. If you are unable to talk directly with your legislator, a call to the legislator’s aide or other staff, whom you know and who knows you, is the next best thing.
Get on Your Delegation’s Mailing List - Then you will receive newsletters and other communiqué from your legislator’s office.
Express Yourself - Surprisingly few people ever contact their legislators. This reluctance usually results from the belief that legislators have no time or inclination to answer their phones or read their mail, and that one single contact won’t make any difference anyway. In most cases, these views are wrong. Thoughtful, factual, persuasive contacts can change legislators’ minds and cause them to review their positions. Be sure to have accurate facts and good arguments about any issues you discuss with your legislators. Make sure you understand the particular bill in question.
Write Letters Carefully and Thoughtfully - Each letter you write should cover one bill and should reference the bill number in a separate line at the top of the page. Present your opinion logically and base it on facts. Emotional appeals do not influence votes. The importance of personally contacting a legislator on time cannot be overemphasized. An eloquent letter does no good if it arrives after a vote. You may also e-mail a letter or brief note to your legislator to get your position across in a short time frame.
Use the Local Media - Schedule meetings with the editorial board members or staff of your local newspaper to discuss legislative issues and positions. Schedule sessions on local television and radio shows to discuss the legislative issues and the impact to your city. Invite your legislators to participate in this event.
Recognize Legislator’s Problems - Your legislator represents all of the constituents in your area — liberal and conservative, business and labor. Their duty is to represent all of the people to the best of their ability. There may be times when you think your legislators are on the wrong track, but they may have facts that are not available to you. Never threaten political or other consequences if the senator or representative refuses to see an issue your way. Remember that you can disagree without being disagreeable.
Say Thanks - Remember to thank legislators regularly and publicly for their time, work, support and votes. Never discount the importance of a thank you; it can really make a difference.
Attend Legislative Action Day - The League’s Legislative Action Day is held each year in Tallahassee during the legislative session, generally in early April. This is an opportunity for municipal officials to visit with their legislators on key municipal issues that are being considered by the Legislature.
Invite your Legislator(s) to League Functions - While legislators receive a written invitation to League activities, the personal touch is always nice. Call your legislators and invite them personally to the Legislative Action Day breakfast and the Legislative Conference in November.
Reprinted from Quality Cities January/February 2001
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