The campaign for Proposition 1A really began in 2002 when the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties and California Special Districts Association, tired of being state budget scapegoats, approached BCF with a challenge: To help them organize, mobilize and speak with one voice to protect local government funding during the state budget process. While protecting local services was the immediate goal each year, the ultimate goal was always constitutional protection from state raids via the initiative process.

BCF’s specific charge was to develop a statewide grassroots and earned media relations campaign to highlight the impacts state budget decisions have on local services. BCF’s goal from the start was to put a human face on budget decisions, illustrating that every California resident relies on the services provided by local governments.

By raising their voices and becoming involved in the state budget process, members of the LOCAL Coalition have helped shaped the budget debate for the last three years, reminding legislators and the Governor that local government funding is not just about dollars, it’s about real people, real services and real consequences if the state continues to erode local government revenues.

In 2004 – in partnership with Governor Schwarzenegger – the LOCAL Coalition took this message and strategy to California voters in the form of Proposition 1A, which prevents the state from taking funds that currently go to fund local governments and services. On November 2, 2004, Prop. 1A was approved by an overwhelming 83 percent of the electorate.

Grassroots/Coalition Management

The Budget Battles
BCF has grown the core membership of the LOCAL Coalition to more than 400 organizational and company members as well as hundreds of individuals. These statewide groups and local organizations represent police and fire, health and emergency care professionals, business groups, labor, seniors, local governments, taxpayers and community groups.

During budget negotiations, BCF communicates regularly with coalition partners to ensure participation when necessary. LOCAL is more than just a letterhead list – these groups take action. For example, with BCF coordinating over the past three years, coalition members have done the following under the LOCAL banner:

• Sent hundreds of letters, emails, and placed hundreds of calls to Legislators advocating for the protection of funding for local services
• Held over 150 meetings with legislators in their Capitol offices
• Met with over two dozen legislators in their district offices
• Continually advocated on a grassroots level for the protection of local funding for local services

Proposition 1A
The campaign for Proposition 1A was different in the sense that we needed to speak to a broader audience than political pundits and legislators. In order to win at the ballot box, BCF needed to grow the existing infrastructure of the LOCAL Coalition to speak to the ultimate decision makers – the California voters.

In the end, the Yes on 1A coalition boasted broad bi-partisan support, over 600 statewide and local organizations, and hundreds of individual supporters. It was through these supporters that we were able to distribute nearly 200,000 walk pieces directly to the doorsteps of voters, hold dozens of regionalized news conferences with public safety and other community leaders, and engage in other successful campaign activities such as speakers bureaus and e-mail trees.

Earned Media
The Budget Battles
BCF works diligently to ensure the coalition has a continual presence in the media to help shape the always-evolving budget debate. Whether through formal press conferences and editorial boards or through conversations and briefings with reporters, LOCAL makes its presence in the budget negotiations known early and often.

Because LOCAL is ultimately about local services, BCF’s earned media strategy includes not only the Sacramento political/budget press corps, but also extends heavily in district and with local press. BCF works with literally every print and electronic outlet in every media market in California.

BCF has worked with coalition members to organize regionalized news conferences in many areas of the state. Many times BCF has overseen multiple, simultaneous news conferences on a single day (the record is ten simultaneous news conferences in one morning).

Ultimately, these efforts have been successful increasing the voice of local governments and personalizing the state budget debate. While the last three state budgets have not held local governments harmless, the impact on local governments would have undoubtedly been much worse without the concerted, organized efforts of so many diverse groups.

Most importantly, legislators and the media alike have publicly acknowledged the effectiveness of our coalition.

Proposition 1A
BCF parlayed the LOCAL Coalition news conference strategy for budget negotiations into the press strategy for the campaign. We know that voters want to hear from their community leaders about how ballot issues will affect them. BCF worked to ensure that local leaders told local voters how the passage of Prop.1A would benefit their community. To that end, BCF regionalized every press conference, highlighting local Yes on 1A supporters and local messages specific to that area.

BCF also worked to get the support of editorial boards, worked with individual reporters one on one to help shape news stories, and also coordinated talk radio appearances on Prop. 1A. All mediums played a key role in the passage of Prop. 1A. BCF coordinated meetings and/or contacted all editorial boards in the state, which resulted in 60 editorials in support of Prop. 1A (vs. only 3 that opposed Prop 1A). In addition we arranged for 40 interviews with TV, radio, print and public affairs shows.

Proposition 1A passed in November 2004 by an overwhelming 83 percent giving local governments protection from state raids.  The LOCAL Coalition remains intact and will be pursuing other reforms in the future.