Is it worth it to lobby your legislator?

[Elisa Maser]

We're getting into the thick of the legislature ... lots of bills are going to pass or die in the next few weeks.

Have you contacted your legislator about any proposed laws? Is it worth it? Do you think they listen to the voters?

[Ryan Jerz]

I wish I could answer this with some real knowledge, but I'm going to have to resort to guessing. I don't think they do. And I'm not sure they should. I believe in a representative democracy (republic, whatever) where you vote for someone based on their knowledge and ideas, then let them do what they do. Then, you hold them accountable at the polls. I disagree with the idea that you can sway their votes, and I even tend to get annoyed when people tell me to contact my Congressman, Assemblyperson, or whichever elected official. That might be monumentally dumb, but for some reason it's how I see it working.

[Scott Oxarart]

I don't think that's dumb. I've been in hearings this session and have overheard some legislators say they receive up to 1,000 e-mails a day.
During the session, they have way to many people talking to them and feeding them information to have time to respond to constituent e-mails, especially people they don't know. Do I think contacting them is pointless? No.
I think the only way to really get them to listen is to talk with them before the session starts when their e-mail load is down and they are excited to get started.

[dave aiazzi]

Ryan I am going to disagree with your opinion based on personal experience. Just because I was elected does not mean that I know everything about everything. I really do appreciate when people contact me and give me insight to a subject that I may be hearing only one side of. A perfect example would be water meters. I was hell bent to leather to "flip the switch" and require everyone to go on a meter. At a public meeting we held a gentleman asked, "What will you do with all the water you will purportedly save?". The answer he was given was, "We have nowhere to store it so it will go down the Truckee". I had always been under the impression that the water we were "saving" was being held upstream for use in droughts. That gentleman (whoever he was) was the butterfly in China. We vote tomorrow on our budget and I think we are NOT going to "flip the switch" this January as we stated 18 months ago. By NOT flipping the switch TMWA saves about $2.5 Million.

[Mike Jamieson]

I think it really helps to prepare oneself, and the briefing material you will need, in a wide variety of ways. To that end, there is a great annual training event called Grassroots Lobbying Days (held in early March) and associated with the American Association of University Women. (Byllie Andrews, hopefully our next Assembly District 27 representative, is a leader and contact person for that annual training which includes active "exercises" in lobbying over the few days of the classes.)
Many years ago I taught myself this process and put it in practice in the Halls of Congress during the spring of 1992 (a full year before staging a very well covered demonstration at the White House). I remember giving my briefing material directly to some U.S. Senators.....who (not so oddly, btw) passed my material onto two particular Senators, Clairborne Pell and Alan Cranston. A few years after my the July 1993 White House demonstration, my Congressman told me he vividly remembered reading and seeing stuff on CNN about it. The point in sharing this is that a good way to lobby is to do it with a group of people who help coordinate and pull off the effort. Our group (incorporated from 94 to 1999) became a recognizable grassroot entity. So, hitch up with others and get training on this.

[dave aiazzi]

Let's see! I just sent this one to my Assemblyman. I know it sounds a bit harsh, but has anyone heard ANYTHING from their legislator?

Assemblyman Bobzien,

I legally am required to vote on a budget for the City of Reno this Friday. I have heard all sorts of rumors as to what the legislature is going to do to local governments. There is nothing but heresay flying around and I haven't seen any updates on your web site. Would you give me some insight as to how many layoffs I should have to put into the City Budget to balance the State budget?

I certainly hope you will vote against ANY Budget that reduces the services to your constituents (like me). The total lack of communication between the legislature and the public has flummoxed me but as you know from our previous discussions I should be used to it by now. Thinking back on our discussions after the last session I thought thing would be different this session..........................

I would appreciate an answer before Friday as the State requires me to set our budget. I would like it to be as honest as possible.

Thank you for your attention

Dave Aiazzi
Reno City Council
Ward 5

[Elisa Maser]

Dave - I know they're trying to get the tax package done by Friday ... it won't be in time to help you, but they're trying to get there.

I agree that many times legislators are well informed in many areas, and at the same time they're asked to legislate on issues they aren't esp. familiar with. So - I think MOST legislators and elected officials appreciate hearing from real people who will be impacted by changes in the law.

Increased understanding on all sides ... always worth pursuing.

[dave aiazzi]

And so here I am, with still not one communication from my Assemblyman as to what happened. No appearance at the Neighborhood Advisory Board, nada. (Maybe there this weekend). I have heard through the media from Assemblywoman Leslie. But was it about what they took from local public safety? No, it is more in the form of continual blackmail as to what the City of Reno should be placing on the next ballot. So the final answer to the question posed. "Is it worth it to lobby your legislator?", I would have to say the answer is no unless you are a favorite special interest.

[Tom Clark]

It's not worth, however I hoghly suggest that you hire a lobbyist.

[Elisa Maser]

Now what was I just saying on Ryan's post about how great it is that people aren't on here trying to sell stuff all the time???

Less than 48 hours to go!

[Willie]

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank some of our local and state legislators for attempting to make reforms to the developer subsidies and redevelopment agency fiscal irresponsibility of the Cities of Reno and Sparks.

Thank you Assemblymembers Anderson, Bobzien, Leslie and Smith as well as Speaker Barbara Buckley for their leadership!

I think it is very disingenuous for local leaders to complain about how "Legislators Taketh Away From The People" when "The City Giveth Away The Farm to Developers"

I place the the blame of the layoffs/salary reductions of our first responders squarely at the feet of our local leaders, who obviously do not have their priorities straight.