MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS and POLICYMAKERS
For many people, this will be the first time meeting with your legislator. Call or email beforehand to schedule the meeting and describe the topic/issues you want to discuss. An aide will take notes and ask what you are interested in. Many legislators will meet with their constituents in
the district, some prefer meeting in Madison. Meeting in Madison is great, we’ve got a beautiful capital building and fun and exciting to visit that area. Face to face meetings with your legislator or key staff is the most effective, but phone calls and e-mail are also helpful. Don’t be intimidated, most legislators relish the chance to meet with citizens from their area and not some paid for lobbyist. Expect the meeting to last 15-30 minutes.
Introduce yourself with some context- Reference any affiliations you might have in your community – a member of the Friends Chapter, president of a hunting club, on the library board, etc. Example: Thanks, Senator Smith for taking the time to meet with me (us). I’m a member of the Friends of the ………. natural resources are very important to our economy and health. I would like to talk to about a few key areas…….
Lead with issues– There are several issues that affect parks, trails and natural resources we will go over those in a bit. Practice beforehand and have your notes ready. Speak slowly and give examples. Be considerate; don’t blame them for particular votes.
Share your stories- You don’t need to be a policy expert. Help the legislator attach a human face to the issues being raised. Explain why you are concerned and what impacts you anticipate on your family and community. Bring a photo to illustrate your point (a favorite state park or a lake overrun with invasive species). And Legislators often want to hear the economic side of an issue. Example- Senator Smith, Wisconsin State Parks and Trails have a huge impact on tourism and the economy. Total visitor expenditures account for roughly $650 million annually. WI State Park Gateway Community Studyhttps://www.recpro.org/assets/Library/Tourism/wi_state_parks_and_gateway_communities.pdf
The Ask- The most important part of the discussion is asking for your legislator to for their support. Example: Senator Smith, all tax support for our state park system was cut in the 2016 state budget. Wisconsin is now one of the only state park system in the country that doesn’t have tax support. Will you support resuming funding for parks and trails? They may not give you an answer right there. Tell them what’s happening at your park or in your community, a little small talk to connect your legislator with your community, park or trail is great.
Follow up- Thank your legislator for the opportunity to meet with them. Ask for follow on the issues with specific time frames. This can be done either by phone or arrange an in-district meeting. Consider meeting at your Park. Give them a tour and show them what your chapter has done for the park, maybe introduce them to Park staff. They may ask for you to follow up with a particular staffer and that’s okay.
You’ve done it! You’ve just had your first meeting. Walk around the capital and soak it in. Always remember they want your vote and your Friend’s Chapter to support them. You are in the driver’s seat. There’s a tremendous satisfaction engaging your legislators on important natural resource issues.
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