How To Access Local Legislators
Get Connected!
by Belinda Judson
Executive Director, Mid-States NATO
As you know, it
is expected to be a particularly “taxing” year
legislatively among both the state and local lawmakers. Many
have asked how to get better acquainted with one’s
city and state officials so as to be properly “connected” when
an issue arises.
To help
answer this question, I went to a group of experts, my
colleagues around the country who deal with legislators
on behalf of their respective state/regional units. With
thanks to Ann Craft (Theatre Owners of Indiana), Carl Goldman
(Theatre Owners of New England), Jerry Gordon (Mid-Atlantic
NATO), Randy Hester (South Central States NATO), Jeff Logan
(North Central States NATO) and Milt Moritz (NATO of California/Nevada),
I pass along their sage advice.
Some of their suggestions for your local issues were:
Join your chamber of commerce. It’s a wonderful entrée
to the business community in your cities.
Work
with your visitors and convention bureaus. They also have
relationships with the leadership in your communities.
Serve
on boards. Again, you will meet others with connections
in your towns and become a known entity as well.
Hook up with the economic development division in your
county or town. This department is responsible for jobs,
bringing
new industry to your towns and the development and direction
of your city or county.
Work
with local schools. Some examples would be by
leading behind-the-scenes tours or hosting lock-ins for
the students.
Make
your facility available. You can work with many
towns by letting them use your cinema to host meetings,
charity
fund-raisers, training programs and speakers. You can
also allow the town to film your theatre as part of
a video
on your community for the visitors and convention bureaus.
With
all of the above you will be meeting individuals who will
have input and awareness of issues in your
towns.
| Don’t be shortsighted and forget that you need
to cultivate these relationships all the time – not
just when you have an issue. |
On the
state level:
Offer your theatre as a site of special screenings
for your legislators. Many NATO state units have coordinated and
sponsored these events on behalf of the members in their
states. This has proven to be a very successful way to
introduce and acquaint exhibitors with their state’s
lawmakers.
Honor
your NATO state unit’s legislative passes.
Many state/regional units give out season passes
to the state
legislators. The legislators are very appreciative of the
passes and they will attend and become familiar with you
and your theatres. (Note, however, that with new ethics
laws in some of the states, this is not possible everywhere.
Your
unit can tell you whether or not this is an option in your
states.)
Be
available to attend legislative committee meetings when
called upon. While many state/regional units have lobbyists
or executive directors who will attend legislative committee
meetings and testify on your behalf, exhibitor testimony
often pulls more weight. Cinema operators are their constituents,
the ones doing business in the field, and they listen
very carefully to their concerns. The legislators will
also
get to know you personally this way and will develop
a working
relationship with you.
Don’t be shortsighted and forget that you need to
cultivate these relationships all the time – not just
when you have an issue.
As always,
your state/regional unit representative can also help you
meet the legislators and work on your behalf to
monitor and fight onerous legislation. However, their job
is much easier when you are familiar with the leadership
in your states and communities and are aware of the issues
as they arise. 
