Blogs

By: @Kyle Packham

Benjamin Franklin famously said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” Perhaps the stakes for special districts in Sacramento are not quite the same as the American revolutionaries of the 1700s, but the principle stands the test of time.

Most, if not all, special districts have developed a relationship with at least one of their legislators; but while one legislator can author and introduce a bill, it takes at least 41 Assembly Members and 21 State Senators to pass that bill to the Governor’s desk. None of us can do that alone. 

That’s what CSDA’s Grassroots Mobilization Program is for, and one reason why being part of a statewide association like CSDA is so important. By working together, we can pool our influence with individual legislators to help support or oppose the most important state policy proposals that have the biggest impact on how special districts serve our communities throughout the state. 

If you have legislative relationships already, please let us know by taking our one-minute Grassroots Mobilization Survey. 

Your answers to our survey are completely confidential – If an opportunity arises for you to consider asking one of your legislative contacts to support or oppose pending legislation, CSDA staff will reach out to you directly to discuss the issue and how you can help if you are able to do so.

If you don’t currently have relationships with your legislators, there are several resources available from CSDA to help you build those bridges:

• Check out our webinar, “Building Relationships with Your Lawmaker’s Office” featuring a panel of actual legislative field staff discussing how you can help build relationships and partner with Legislators through their district offices.
• You can also check out “Grassroots Advocacy 101,” which offers several tips for getting to your legislators’ attention. Spoiler alert: they actually WANT to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or send an email and invite them to coffee, or to tour your facility.
• Finally, look at our Take Action Toolkit for links to directories of the California State Assembly and Senate, as well as the US House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, with contact info for all your local representatives.  

One other important tip: you have stakeholders in your community who, while they may not be special districts themselves, serve or benefit from you as an organization and share some common interests. These third party voices can be invaluable sources of support in your advocacy, as they help “put a human face” on the issues, making them very compelling spokespeople for your local agency and the community you serve. Identifying, recruiting and engaging these third party voices in your advocacy can play a tremendous role in your success. 

If special districts want a better seat at the table when it comes to funding, infrastructure, and other needs, we must make our voice – and our presence – known. Indeed, we must all hang together. 

Please take one minute of your time to submit your Grassroots Mobilization Survey.  And, speaking of hanging together, don’t forget that next week (March 6) is the Early Bird Deadline for Special Districts Legislative Days. April 7-8 in Sacramento, special district officials from throughout the state will learn, engage, and take action. 

Come be a part of the cause to best serve our communities.