'Hello, Washington?'

By Edmund S. Tijerina

It's your right as a citizen to petition government for redress, but nobody ever told you how. What are the best ways to win friends and influence legislation? Here are some ways to get started:

Start locally.

The best way is to get to know your elected representatives, says Jim Boullion, legislative director of the Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin.

"Get a personal relationship with your local legislator," he said. "If you don't know your legislator before you call, you'll get a form letter. If you do, you'll get a personal response."

It doesn't necessarily have to be a large donation that attracts attention. A little volunteering on behalf of your favorite legislator can open the door for personal contact. A small donation can earn an invitation to a fund-raiser where you can make that contact, Boullion said.

"It's a little harder to get close to (U.S. Sen.) Herb Kohl than your school board member, but the process is the same," Boullion said. "Besides, someday that school board member may be your senator."

But at the risk of getting a form letter in return, calling your representative is worth a try. Depending on the question, offices of aldermen, state and federal legislators can be very helpful.

"The majority of legislation is derived from normal people and not lobbyists, like many people think," said Darrin Schmitz, former press secretary for Gov. Tommy G. Thompson.

Try trade associations.

"The best way is to work through their associations and to speak with a unified voice," said Bob Barker, executive vice president of the Madison-based Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin. "It's the old cliché about strength in numbers. There's definitely something to that."

Typically, the association staff mobilize a grass-roots response among association members. They draft a message ("Support this bill") and send out sample letters that can be copied onto company letterhead to be sent to elected officials.

If you're going to put the association's letter on your stationery, be sure to do your homework first.

"It's important that (association members) have the necessary backup information in the event that somebody calls to follow up," he said.

Form a grass-roots group.

It's a different way of finding strength in numbers, says former state legislator Dennis Conta, who now works as an independent political consultant.

"You organize an ad hoc group around an issue," he said. They are focused and often effective, but rarely last beyond the particular issue, Conta added.

Retain a lobbyist.

Sometimes you need the expertise of somebody who knows legislation and the legislative process.

"It depends on the severity of the issue, the complexity of the issue," Conta said. "If it's a simple matter, that can often be resolved on a personal level. If it's a complex matter that involves changing existing statues, that's more demanding and you'll need help."

Make some more calls yourself.

Even if you haven't donated large amounts of money to the governor's re-election campaign or don't have well-placed friends, there are still reasons to have faith in the political system, many say. All it takes is some persistence and a little time.

"There are a lot of avenues to pursue that people can access to government. It's a matter of a willingness to do so," Schmitz said. "That's the thing about democracy — it only works if you participate."

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