Targeted Lobbying

1. Targeted Lobbying

2. What’s New? Nothing Everything Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich

3. Senate The newly elected Senator from New Mexico Tom Udall (NM) was a former member of the House Appropriations Committee

4. Who should we be talking to? • Targeted Lobbying Efforts: • Home-district • Appropriations Committee Senate Appropriations Committee: Robert Byrd (D-WV) replaced by Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Republican replacements not yet named, total may be only 13 based on proportionality.

5. 111th Senate Appropriations • Appropriations Committee(s): • The Committee controls the purse strings for key children’s/school services: • early childcare and education, • key child welfare services, and • all programs administered by the U.S. • Departments of HHS, Labor, and • Education

6. House of Representatives

7. Changes Eight Republican members from the 110th will not be present for the 111th. Ray LaHood (IL-18)retired and is nominated to be the new Transportation Secretary. Current committee member Zach Wamp (R-TN-3) has announced he is running for governor of Tennessee. Democrats must also fill the void of Bud Cramer (AL)now retired and Tom Udall (NM)the newly elected Senator from New Mexico.

8. 111th House Appropriations

9. What have you heard? • Newly elected members of Congress are not included on the above lists at this time. • Once committee assignments for all incoming members are complete in January, 2009, this information will be updated on the lobbying calendar. • National Perspective of 8002 a Strength…Need to share information and perspectives. • Too much information for one person to know (especially me) • Information and opinions created and shared differently across the country…we need to use these different perspectives when lobbying. • As you learn of changes in congress or with your representative which impact our lobbying efforts, please be sure to let me know: tschneider@ccsd180.org

10. Now that you’re an Incumbent…

11. the new congress and our Lobbying efforts: Our Message to Newly Elected Members of Congress: • With so many new seats to protect, these newly elected representatives will be looking to find ways to visibly help schools. Our Message to Democrats: • Joys/Pitfalls of single-party rule. • Appropriation process should be much smoother. • We want to be sure to contact (and include in our lobbying efforts) newly elected representatives: • In your district, • In your state, • On Appropriations Committee

12. Nafis view of “The New” Washington NAFIS/Forkenbrock on the FY 09 Budget: • Continuing Resolution until March 6th. • Omnibus Appropriation in January being developed • + $2M increase for Section 8002 • NAFIS/Forkenbrock on the Stimulus: • Survey on Capital Improvement • Projects which can be done in either 60 days or 24 months? • Focus on non-funded construction/repair Impact Aid • Contact:

13. 8002 Lobbying Message on the FY 09 Budget • Impact Aid is a critical source of revenue which impacted schools in your congressperson’s district or state. • Most importantly, provide specific examples of how important Impact Aid has improved children’s lives. • Impact Aid is the Federal Government’s obligation to schools and the children and communities our schools serve. • This obligation was created when the Federal Government • took the land and placed the tax burden on the remaining tax-payers. • Emphasize the importance of their support of increased appropriations and the reauthorization (whenever that happens) language supported by NAFIS.

14. Stimulus ’09 As someone once said around here: “There’s a New Sheriff in Town”

15. Stimulus ’09 and You (8002) Spend Quickly • List Capital projects • Immediate expenditures via salaries of teachers and other ESP’s that would have been eliminated without the finds that are owed to the districts, but not met due to the underfunding of Impact Aid. • Educational programs the stimulus would fund already developed and ready to go now. • i.e. summer school, after school programs

16. Stimulus ’09 and You (8002) “That also means an economic recovery plan that is free from earmarks and pet projects.” —President-Elect Barack Obama, January 8, 2008. Not “Wasteful Earmarks”/Legitimate Spending • It is already determined that the Federal Government owes the districts these funds. • Process is already established to award and distribute funds

17. Stimulus ’09 and You (8002) Positive Impact on the Economy • Schools one of the largest employers in many communities. • No Additional funds spent on administration of these funds as this is already in place.

18. Stimulus ’09 and You (8002) “To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that's never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges and public universities with 21st-century classrooms, labs and libraries. We'll provide new computers, new technology and new training for teachers so that students in Chicago and Boston can compete with children in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.” —President-Elect Barack Obama, January 8, 2008. Build for the future • Education of children • The benefits of the educational programs the stimulus would fund.

19. Stimulus ’09 and You (8002) Transparency • Oversight at the Federal Level • Oversight at the Local Level by Local School Boards • <Discuss?> • Could we use the Dept. of Ed using FY 05 Budget to be sure funds are distributed equitably and based upon previously established rationale and oversight.

20. Section 8002 Is Unique in requesting funds from the Stimulus Package • Section 8002 Districts lack funds due to a situation that the Federal Government Created • The bail out of Wall Street, the loans to auto makers, the stimulus packages that have been approved or are being considered, including infrastructure improvements, may or may not be warranted; but it angers me that the government can spend almost a trillion dollars for these things and does not meet its obligation to school districts impacted by federal presence within their boundaries. • In other words, the government is willing to spend billions on problems that it may or may not have caused while continuing to ignore meeting the needs of students in districts where the government definitely causes the problem. • —Tom Davenport

21. Act Now We are not alone in wanting this money, but we are exceptional in that our Section 8002 situation was created by the Federal Government.

22. What to do? • Contact your Legislators Now • Sample Letters on Web Site • Budget Talking Points • Stimulus Letter • Stolen Ideas (Voices for Children/AASA) • “Lobbying Tips with Introductory Letters for Congress • Can be loaded with information off of the Share Point Site • Legislative Calendar, How a Bill Becomes Law… etc. • Most Importantly: • Use your own district information. • Examples of how kids lives are better thanks to Impact Aid • March may be too late but we will be asking you to meet with appropriators from your state again. (Share Point)

23. USB Drives for March Visit to Washington • Let me know if you want to order more to distribute in Washington in March. • Orders by February 1st. • $5.25 each (with a minimum 125 total order) • Can be loaded with information off of the Share Point Site • Most Importantly: Your own district information.

24. Again…What have you heard? • Information and opinions created and shared differently across the country…we need to use these different perspectives when lobbying. • Any other thoughts?... • As you learn of changes in congress or with your representative which impact our lobbying efforts, please be sure to let me know and I will share with all: tschneider@ccsd180.org