INSIDEOUT

by Annise D. Parker

NOT JUST A BAD WORD

Lobbying can be an effective way for citizens to effect change

The gentleman who e-mailed me about the loophole in the alley ordinance might never consider himself a lobbyist.

That is a dirty word to some people. Tobacco lobbyist, drug industry lobbyist, soft money, major campaign contributor-guilt by association has tainted a perfectly good word. The Latinate word lobby originally meant monastic cloister or public room next to the legislative chamber, hence the modern definition of lobbyist: someone who tries to influence legislation. If you have ever voiced your opinion to a public official, you are a lobbyist-albeit an unpaid one.

Cheap and effective e-lobbying

Last December, the Professional Golf Association proposed moving the tennis courts and making other changes in Memorial Park so the Shell Houston Open golf tournament could be held there. Dozens of e-mails a day started flooding council offices. After two weeks, the count was 500 against and 5 for. Judging from some of the form letters, people had obviously e-mailed each other, but overall the deluge reflected spontaneous outrage from a cross section of Houstonians who jog, walk, bike, and play tennis at Memorial Park. This represented the most e-mails I have received on any issue (including the nondiscrimination ordinance and Prop 2) since my election almost five years ago.

When the mayor asked city departments to cut their budgets 3 percent last spring, the Houston Public Library director recommended reducing hours, including two of the three nights at Clayton Genealogy Library. Council offices started receiving e-mails from across the country. (The proposal had been posted on a big genealogy website.) More than 100 e-mails arrived. Council members who had never heard of Clayton nor knew anything about their family trees quickly approved my budget amendment to restore hours at one of the country's top genealogy libraries.

E-mail has forever changed lobbying, for better (prompt and thorough public response) and for worse (rude venting, clogged in boxes, SPAM, porn, and form letters).

I love hearing from constituents, and I try to read each e-mail that comes into the office. Fortunately, I am a speed reader. Unfortunately, reading everything is still impossible because of the sheer volume of e-mails. Many weeks I receive 100-200 e-mails that require response, and my staff discards an equal amount of junk mail.

Rather than send the generic replies ("Thank you for your input. I'm studying the issueÉ") that many offices use, I prefer to respond in detail-through a comprehensive form letter if you will-about issues that generate a lot of mail. I apologize if we don't answer every question in your e-mail or each one individually. We do try.

E-mail vs. snail mail vs. calls

E-mails and phone calls get the fastest response in my office. Not everyone, of course, has a computer and access to e-mail. Old-fashioned letters do work. Postal service mail requires stationery and stamps, and city budgets are tight. So, if you have e-mail, please use it and save the taxpayers the cost of paper and postage.

Phone calls can be a problem if you insist on speaking to the elected official. I stack up messages and return calls in spurts. If you need an immediate response, please talk to my staff.

Corralling council members

You can't assume that a majority of council members read your e-mail or printed letter, especially if it is long and detailed. But addressing us face to face is possible, by signing up to speak at the 2 p.m. Tuesday public session. You may have to wait until 3 or 4 p.m. for your three-minute window. To be more effective, bring copies of your speech and have them presented to all council members. You don't have to be a great speaker, just a reasonable and well-organized one.

Call the city secretary at 713/247-1840 to reserve time.

One-on-one meetings

Officers of nonprofit organizations often ask to meet with me, because they want support for a project or a grant from the city (usually state or federal dollars), or they may be having problems with a particular department. Individuals also request meetings about projects or problems. I meet with as many constituents as possible. If I am not available, a staff member can probably meet with you. All council staffs have people who specialize in constituent services and agenda and committee issues. Dealing with my staff can be quicker and just as productive as meeting with me. After all, I pay them to get things done.

If you want to meet with a Council member, just call that office. Sometimes first sending a letter or package is better for explaining your project and requesting a meeting.

Least effective lobbying

I don't smoke cigarettes and never have. I hate them. I am a strong supporter of smoking regulation. But the anti-smoking campaign in 1998 to ban smoking in all restaurants and bars was a primer in how not to lobby for change. Some of the supporters repeatedly insisted that council members who had met with them just a couple of weeks before meet with them again when nothing had changed. Their tone was less than cordial. I banned one from my office for berating a staff member.

In the end, the time wasn't right for such a sweeping ordinance. Some proponents also suffered from unrealistic expectations. Their pressure tactics, even applied against supporters, only lengthened the time before council will be willing to revisit the issue.

Recently, council passed my ordinance amendment to ban smoking 25 feet from the entrance of large multi-tenant buildings and make other incremental changes. I had the support of the business community.

Dallas may be on the verge of passing an ordinance to ban smoking in all restaurants except in ones that provide separate dining rooms for smokers. There seems to be sentiment on this council for eventually moving in that direction. When and if the time comes, paid and volunteer lobbyists will descend on council offices. E-mails will arrive by the dozens, perhaps hundreds. Just another month at City Hall.

A Houston City Council member who happens to be lesbian, Annise Parker is serving her third term in At-large Position 1. To receive her bi-monthly e-mail newsletter, e-mail annise.parker@cityofhouston.net or call 713/247-2014. Her website is www.ci.houston.tx.us/city govt/council/1.