Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference & Exhibit

Under the Dome

Dustin Miller, Governmental Affairs Manager, Iowa League of Cities

Handouts and presentations are available online at www.iowaleague.org Outline:

• League Legislative Advocacy • Who • What • League Challenges • Breadth • Membership • No PAC • League Strengths • Grassroots • Membership Action • Collaborate • Build Relationships with Legislators • Advocate for Your City • Inform • Issue Preview for Next Session • League Proposed Priorities and Background League Legislative Advocacy

What We Do:

• The League has represented city interests before the General Assembly since its inception over 110 years ago. • Through legislative advocacy, one of the League’s core values, the League continues to ensure Iowa’s cities can thrive and grow, and to make certain their citizens enjoy a superior quality of life. League Legislative Team: Who

• League Staff • Dustin Miller, Governmental Affairs Manager • Erin Mullenix, Research & Fiscal Analyst • Alan Kemp, Executive Director • Terry Timmins, General Counsel • Bruce Bergman, General Counsel • Contract Lobbyist • Jessica Harder, Governmental Affairs Counsel League Legislative Team : What What we do

Lobbyists: Other League Staff: • Work with League Policy • Executive Director Committee • Our spokesperson for • Review all bills and issue spot important issues • Discuss bills with our members • Adds weight to our and other lobbyists arguments on specific • Register on bills occasions • Work for or against legislation • Research & Fiscal affecting cities Analyst • Forge relationships with • Crunches numbers and legislators and lobbyists provides information for • STRATEGIZE lobbyists to present • Be there and be seen • Acts as expert on • Engage in opportunities to complicated research issues shape policy (e.g. task forces, • General Counsel coalitions etc.) • Our resident municipal legal • Inform our members about experts legislative issues • Drafts amendments and legislation League Challenges: Breadth

• Breadth of Issues • From ATV’s to wastewater • Over a thousand bills each session. • Registering Strategically • Front and Center Issues • Tax reform squeezes budget -Projections predict shortfall in revenue for city Des Moines Register Aug. 31, 2013 • “It was previously estimated by the Iowa League of Cities that the total 10-year loss in tax revenue due to the Legislature’s tax reform would be in the neighborhood of $3.4 million.” League Challenges: Membership

• City Staff • Political Limitations of Certain City Staff Positions • Authority from Mayor or Council

• Elected Officials • Other lives of other lives • Understanding effects of changes to law League Challenges: No PAC

• By law, the League is a non-partisan organization, that cannot make monetary contributions to political campaigns. • Other organizations give thousands of dollars through Political Action Committees (PACs) to candidates for their campaigns. • As of July 2013 PAC report – cash on hand • Farm Bureau Federation - $144,368 • Bankers - $195,705 • Iowans for Tax Relief - $343,046 League Strengths: Grassroots

• The League has strong members. • Elected officials • Important positions in community • Have ear of legislators • Active with League and/or in responses to our calls to action or other legislative requests. • Example: HF184 An Act relating to the authority of cities to regulate and restrict the occupancy of residential rental property. League Strengths: Grassroots

• We can get better!

• Legislators live in your communities so you have the opportunity to increase our influence!

• How? Membership Action: Collaborate

• Collaborate with Your City Staff and Officials • Collaborate with your staff and elected officials to determine the highest priority issues for your city. • Utilize your staff to best understand how city operations are affected by potential legislative changes. • Collaborate with Other Cities • Listserves: Topics aren’t always legislative • Grapevine – city managers • Clerknet – clerks Membership Action: Collaborate

Collaborate with the League • Call League Staff • How do I get info to you? • Legislative Communication During Session • Leg Link • Action Calls • Legislative Day • Bill Tracking • Legislative Communication After Session • New Laws Membership Action: Educate

Legislative Communication During Session • Legislative Link • Main method of communication to members during session • Join by emailing [email protected] • Action Calls on specific issues • Topic-specific with talking points • Shorter as-needed basis information • Extremely time sensitive • Legislative Day – February 4, 2014 • League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Website Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Membership Action: League Bill Tracking Post-Session Communication

New Laws of Interest • Comprehensive Special Report containing all new laws that pertain to cities. • Complete prior to July 1, the effective date of many new laws. Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators Why? • Cities faced with variety of complex issues. • Most powerful information and influence comes from a legislator’s constituents. • Knowing your legislator is half the battle. Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators • Understand system • Legislative Calendar • Interim versus Legislative Session • Political Makeup • House of Representatives (53 Republicans & 47 Democrats) • Senate (26 Democrats & 24 Republicans) • Governor (R) • Find Your Legislator • By City or Zip Code under “Legislators” at www.legis.iowa.gov Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators • Elections (Nov. 4, 2014) • United States Senate • Governor • • Sandy Greiner (R) [Retirement] • Joni Ernst (R) [Running for US Senate] • Jack Hatch [D] [Running for Governor] • Iowa House • (R) [Running for Iowa Senate] • (R) [Running for US House] • Tyler Olson (D) [Running for Governor] • Kevin McCarthy (D) [Job with Iowa AG] Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators

• Citizen Legislators • Part-time • Varied backgrounds • 3+ month time period with 100s of bills • Committee assignments • Committee staff Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators

• Request a meeting • Informal and formal • Attend events • Get on legislator’s list serve • Find out best way to contact out of and during session • Inform League staff of events Membership Action: Build Relationships with Legislators

Cultivate Relationship Now = Better Communication & More Influence Later Membership Action: Advocate

• Focus and Set Goals • How does this impact your city? • How does this impact other constituents in the district? • Contact Regularly • Come to the Capitol • Contact League Staff • Helps us understand membership actions • We will try to inform you of movement Membership Action: Inform

• Provide newsletter • Provide city budget and review budget process • Meeting focused on city operations • Invite to council meetings Issue Preview for Next Session

• Passage of SF295 • Election Year • Other Issues Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority One: Increase existing funding and develop new funding resources for city infrastructure needs, which include maintaining Iowa’s roads and bridges and water and wastewater compliance. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority One Background: This priority includes both road and bridge infrastructure and water and wastewater infrastructure. The League will support passage of the gas tax and/or any other financial resources that will be set aside for road and bridge infrastructure. In the area of water and wastewater infrastructure, the League will support resources for cities to implement EPA and DNR directives including resources for implementation of the Iowa’s new Nutrient Reduction Strategy as well as funding for water quality and dam safety. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority Two: Ensure long-term sustainability and fairness of the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa (MFPRSI). Enact changes to MFPRSI that result in a more balanced system and control costs to cities. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority Two Background: The League will support legislation that would reinstate a contribution from the state to the MFPRSI and enact systemic changes to MFPRSI that would lessen costs to cities. Any benefit increases that would increase costs to cities will be opposed. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority Three: Support essential and diversified funding options, including property tax backfill for local revenue losses and diversified revenue options; support progressive economic development policies and maintain funding for key economic development programs. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority Three Background: The operation of quality local governments hinges upon a mixture of funding sources. The League will support the full backfill from the property tax rollback and other diversified options that could include a hotel/motel tax or user fees. In addition to revenue sources for essential services, cities are the main driver of economic development across the state and need continued support from programs and policies to continue this development. Policies like effective tax increment financing (TIF) are essential, as are state economic development programs like the Iowa Reinvestment Act, Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT), River Enhancement and Community Attraction and Tourism (RECAT) and other tax credit programs operated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). Cities also need supportive programs to assist in the assessment and removal of derelict buildings in small cities. Proposed Priorities 2014

Priority Four: Ensure legislation enhances a city’s ability to make decisions at the local level to operate efficiently and to deliver city services more effectively. Proposed Priorities 2014 Background: The League will work with legislators to consider the implications of legislation and support bills that allow cities to make decisions at the local level. This will include supporting bills that enhance local decision making such as the regulation of adult entertainment, clarification of city election process, single city election for local option sales tax and resolution of territory disputes between utilities and cities. The League will also oppose bills that infringe on local decision making such as a restriction on residential occupancy zoning, prohibition or partial banning of automated traffic enforcement (ATE) systems and changes to legal procedures utilized by cities. Thank You!

As always please communicate with the League to let us know what you are hearing in your community

Our contact information can be found at https://www.iowaleague.org/pages/Con tactUs.aspx