3Prop-Commonwealth (conservative)
MEMO
To: Staff of Commonwealth Lobbying
From: Stephen Fantorum, Managing Partner
Re: SWPCCA request for assistance on “Renew”
We received a phone call from Frank Buck, a representative of SWPCCA, asking for help on the “Renew” bill that is now in committee. He took pains to say how important this bill is for his group of CCs and asked us to plan a lobbying effort that would help influence the make-up of the bill. He thinks the bill should pay a lot more attention to how CCs can help bring green jobs to the area and at the same time help business move more successfully into the alternative energy sector of the economy. Please work up this proposal related to the green jobs and CCs as soon as possible so that we can move to help these folks. Thanks.
[Start with an anecdote about a community college-green job’s program]
Commonwealth Lobbying, in its position as lobbyist for SWPCCA, a consortium of community colleges in south-western PA, support them in their fight to provide green-training job programs for their area students. We believe that the best way to help this consortium is by persuading the congressman and woman who are writing the “Renew” bill to give community colleges priority in the allocation of funds for these programs. However, we believe that the bill goes too far in its current form and would rather insist on a partnership between Gov’t and local business to fund these programs. It is clear that our client’s need to be a priority participant can contribute to the potential for job growth but the Gov’t should not do all the work here. Area business have to be persuaded to become involved, too. In fact, as we see the bill, it should only provide seed money but then local business should take control, motivated by tax credits and other incentives, and help these colleges move to implementing their green job programs on their campuses. Let me explain how it would work . . .
3Prop-Rep. Modigliani (moderate)
MEMO
To: Staff
From: Margaret Modiglian, US Rep. District ##, Chester Co
Re: Jerome S. Parker, President ’s request for assistance on “Renew”
We received a phone call from Jerome S. Parker, President of Delaware Co Community Colleges, wondering what our position was on the “Renew” bill. He took pains to encourage us to support his college’s attempts to influence the bill. He thinks the bill should pay a lot more attention to how CCs can help bring green jobs to the area. Please work up a proposal that I can present to him about this matter during our upcoming meeting next month. Thanks.
Proposal
[Start with an anecdote about a community college-green job’s program]
This proposal has as its goal to suggest how you, Rep Modigliani, can position yourself in the debate that is going on now around the “Renew” bill that is presently being debated in congressional committee. Several community colleges (name them) in Chester Co have signed onto a consortium which is lobbying for priority treatment when it comes to funds the bill wants to allocate for green jobs program. We want to encourage you to take this consortium seriously because it would be in your best interest to see these programs grow. At the same time, some want to increase Gov’t support and give incentives for business to cooperate. We think that this is a good idea in the short term but long term Gov’t involvement should be curtailed and the support of business should be increased. The community colleges in the county are well positioned to take advantage of this program if it is made law but some might think that prioritizing funding is too much of an overreach by Gov’t. We suggest that the market can do a better job of seeing who might come to the fore to provide these educational programs. One reason we believe this is if the programs get started and there are no jobs then we will have failed. These people will tend to blame you if this happens because you are their representative. So we would like to encourage a balanced approach. This is how it will work . . .
3Prop-Minerva (liberal)
MEMO
To: Staff of Minerva Ctr
From: Dr. Constance Smith, Chairperson
Re: SEPCCA request for assistance on “Renew”
We received a phone call from a Jan Fisher, a representative of SEPCCA, asking for help on the “Renew” bill that is now in committee. She took pains to say how important this bill is to them and asked us to lobby those writing the bill to be symphatic to their needs. She thinks the bill should pay a lot more attention to how CCs can help bring green jobs to the area and at the same time create jobs for area residents who have lost their jobs or have had to take lower paying jobs. Please work up a proposal outlining arguments to help Jan and her organization in this matter. We need to start contacting congresspersons associated with the bill ASAP. Thanks.
[Start with an anecdote about a community college-green job’s program]
The Minerva Group has agreed to help a consortium of community colleges in south-eastern PA (SEPCCA) in their fight to provide green-training job programs for their area students. We believe that the best way to help this consortium is by persuading the congressman and woman who are writing the “Renew” bill to give community colleges priority in the allocation of funds for these programs. However, we believe that the bill does not go far enough in its current form and will insist that more money be allocated for these programs. Many of the college presidents that we have talked to see their campuses as hubs for green job training. Not only that, but the bill could also provide incentives to local business to hire graduates. The bill also needs provisions that give incentives like tax breaks and export assistance to the companies that participate in this program. In fact, as we see the bill, it should provide more funds for a sophisticated set of programs that would make our community colleges a bastion for smart green technology by helping these colleges move toward implementing these green job programs on their campuses. Let me explain how it would work . . .
Discussion questions:
Instructions: Post your answer to the question below and then read and reply to another class member’s posting. Do not merely agree/disagree but give reasons why you think the way you do.
