Download
1 / 31
310 likes | 414 Views
LOCAL BUSINESS CHAMPIONS ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN. Patrick Connolly Carl Kuhl Mike Zipko. OVERVIEW. Overview of Progressive Policy Over the last decade the agenda of progressive and union groups has experienced a paradigm shift in how to implement policy initiatives.
E N D
LOCAL BUSINESS CHAMPIONSADVOCACY ACTION PLAN Patrick Connolly Carl Kuhl Mike Zipko
Overview of Progressive Policy • Over the last decade the agenda of progressive and union groups has experienced a paradigm shift in how to implement policy initiatives. • Instead of introducing and passing legislative items at the federal and state branches of government, they have been forced to focus their attention and energy on local municipalities to pass ordinances and other policy changes.
Arriving in Minnesota • The movement to organize on wage and workforce regulations targeted to begin in New York and California. • Initial success encouraged advocates to look to other cities to expand their focus. • Minnesota, being a very active political state with a strong sense of pride in its on-going citizen engagement and general public policy advocacy efforts, is now a target.
Progressive Groups Minnesota has active local chapters of progressive groups that includes: • Service Employee International Union (SEIU) Local 26 • ISAIAH | Faith in Democracy • Take Action Minnesota • MN Jewish Action Community • Locals of the AFL/CIO and ASFCME These groups have organized to pass this progressive agenda in the urban core of Minnesota and have begun to expand to other communitiesacross the state.
How This Impacts Chambers and Your Members Shift to local communities forces local chambers to advocate on behalf of protecting business and commerce in their community. Proactive and reactive local chamber leadership and member participation is now necessary to counter the impact these changes will have on local, regional, and the statewide economy. Chambers need to evolve beyond being “friends” of city hall to becoming active, effective advocates.
Currently, progressive groups are expanding their influence and reach to communities such as Bloomington, St. Louis Park, Duluth, Mankato, and Rochester. Policy items being proposed include: • $15 Minimum Wage, Paid Sick and Safe Leave • Affordable Housing Regulations • Bans on Plastic Bags and Recycling Rules • Franchise Fees and Telecommunication/Fiber Regulations • Tobacco 21 • Carbon Neutral/Climate Change Goals
$15 Minimum Wage, Paid Sick and Safe Leave These are national efforts that have now been localized in Minnesota. Minneapolis was first but St. Paul and Duluth are following. Larger cities in Minnesota could be next: St. Cloud, Mankato, Bloomington, St. Louis Park, etc. Progressive advocates have connected with social justice advocates in Minnesota.
$15 Minimum Wage The complexity of each city’s economy is being overrun by the one-size-fits-all advocacy. As it expands to Greater Minnesota, it shows the complexity of our state’s economy. While advocates have a simple messages, the counter message from the business community is not as unified and is more complex. It has had a clear impact on bars and restaurants, but the full effect is more broader than just those industries.
Paid Sick and Safe Leave It’s changing an entire system to go after a few “bad apples” but the “bad apples” create powerful victim stories. Connects deeply with faith based social justice, via immigration laws and undocumented workers, etc. It is expensive for cities to enforce new rules and it can be complicated for businesses to follow the system if it is different in each city.
Affordable Housing Regulations Efforts to change housing rules are based on the success from $15 an hour and sick and safe time being implemented. It’s a higher level of government involvement in a very complicated market place that depends on the private sector to provide some affordable housing. If it is implemented in Minneapolis and St. Paul there is a threat of it quickly expanding to suburbs, larger cities.
Affordable Housing Regulations Overly simplistic advocacy ignores and overruns the complexity of the broader market and the housing stock in each community. The business community supports viable affordable housing policies because it is the right thing to do. If the wrong rules are implemented, the impact is significant and likely to hurt those that it is designed to help.
Bans on Plastic Bags and Recycling Rules The advocates got to the “change space” first by pushing city councils to change rules. Advocates believe the best way to force change is to have government lead it rather than the industry to lead on its own. The complexities of enacting these ordinances is often not a mitigating factor.
Franchise Fees and Telecommunication/Fiber Regulations This is not as active an issue area as workforce and housing, but has the potential to create financial challenges in each city. It is often driven by the idea that internet access should be a government utility to provide equitable service to everyone. Advocates ignore both the complexities and ongoing costs to operate and maintain a service that the private sector already provides. Despite a number of failed attempts, some counties and cities continue to explore publically owned communications systems.
Tobacco 21 Patchwork regulation is concerning to local chambers but very supportive of all of our healthcare members and issues.
Carbon Neutral/Climate Change Goals At a broad level, these seem like agreeable goals, but when implemented they affect different businesses in different ways. New bike lanes = loss of parking Energy efficiency goals = higher building operating costs Another case where advocate message is very focused, but the counter message about impact is more complex and not as organized.
Previous Examples Workforce Fairness Coalition Sick and Safe Time First Choice St. Paul Pathway to $15
Situation Analysis IMMEDIATELY reach out to local elected officials regarding the issues. Reach out to business leaders that may be impacted by these policies to gain knowledge regarding their awareness. Assess the situation and reach out to fellow chamber executives for their insight.
Brief Internal Audiences Prepare to communicate your findings to internal audiences, including: • Executive Board • Board of Directors • Public Affairs Committee • Potential Funders • Members
Identify Goals and Budget The best and most effective advocacy campaigns are often won early in the process by defining clear goals. Begin creating a list of potential donors to support and fund your advocacy efforts. Begin making calls to members to get the campaign running.
Create Strategy, Tactics, and Raise Money Build Your Coalition • Local business leaders • Business associations • Neighboring chambers Create Steering Committee • 3-6 members • Committee should be point person for key decisions with media, elected officials, and broader coalition Develop Key Messaging & Campaign Brand • 3-5 themes • 3-5 proof points per theme • Develop brand and logo Initial outreach and campaign launch • Build support to launch date • Prepare messaging and public announcement around campaign
Create Strategy, Tactics, and Raise Money Identify resources for success • Review data of all chamber members. • Invest in a citizen database to ensure council is hearing from both members and citizens (First Choice St. Paul, River Heights and Twin West Chamber). • Phones and surveys: contact supporters in advance through a 5 question survey. • ID supporters that are willing to take action. • Reach out to consultants with experience in advocacy work Raise money and build a lasting budget based on how long this advocacy effort will most likely take.
Activate and Take Action Announcement • Press conference, media release, social media • Alert local officials about the campaign – Face to Face Earned media • Submit Op-eds, LTEs, encourage social media following announcement Social Media • Develop ongoing social media campaign with current updates • Considering developing a separate page consistent with the campaign brand Phone program • Encourage key members to call city hall and report back
Activate and Take Action Develop and organized patch through call program Direct mail programs • Utilize new data • Still an effective awareness effort • Consider tear off component to send in comments Meetings with elected officials • Keep track of who and key information Media relations • Develop relationships with media outlets and reporters • Send consistent updates on the topic
Activate and Take Action Public Comment periods • Create a digital/online system that will connect to local municipality that is collecting comments • Create messaging for supporters • Call ID Supporters Measure and track activities • Develop goals around each deliverable advocacy items • Have weekly updates on how many calls have been made to city hall, letters written, meetings with elected officials, feedback regarding elected officials positions • Measure fundraising and campaign spend
Assess the Results Conduct calls or meetings with coalition leadership to measure the impact of the campaign. Be flexible to make adjustments to reach your goal. Share results with broader campaign.
We are stronger working together. Lets grow the Local Business Champions.
