advocacy
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Inviting your Legislator to visit your Restaurant:
Get some of your local restaurant colleagues together (or even other small business owners with similar interests) and invite your Senators or Representative to a meeting at your restaurant. Host an event, whether a meet-and-greet, a fundraiser or an issues forum. Having an elected official come to your restaurant and see how you operate your business is one of the best ways to help them understand what it takes to own and operate a restaurant.
Planning your Restaurant visit:
The best time to host an event is during a legislative recess or on days when the Legislature is not in session. Jessica Muradian, Director of Government Affairs, maintains a schedule of formal sessions of the Legislature. Jessica and Kerry Miller, Director Operations can offer invaluable assistance and can be reached at 508-303-9905.
Issue a specific, rather than open-ended, invitation. Invite your legislator and some of his/her staff. Remember, we're in the hospitality business. If the meeting is in the morning, provide coffee, tea, pastries, etc. Your goal is not to make it festive, this is a meeting to discuss business, but use all the tools you have at your disposal.
Let the lawmaker's office know if there is a specific issue you want to discuss during the event. There are thousands of bills pending at all times on Beacon Hill. No single legislator can be aware of them all. They will want to be as informed as possible so they can discuss your issues with you intelligently.
Give your employees a little background on your legislator. Reps and Senators enjoy being recognized and acknowledged, just like everyone else. Encourage your employees to address them as "Representative" Jones or "Senator" Smith.-Always follow up with a thank you note afterwards!
Ask for a business card before they leave so you will have their complete address or click here to go to the Massachusetts Legislature's directory where you'll find the address and room number of your legislator. Just a brief note, thanking them for their time and interest is all that is required.
Get some of your local restaurant colleagues together (or even other small business owners with similar interests) and invite your Senators or Representative to a meeting at your restaurant. Host an event, whether a meet-and-greet, a fundraiser or an issues forum. Having an elected official come to your restaurant and see how you operate your business is one of the best ways to help them understand what it takes to own and operate a restaurant.
Planning your Restaurant visit:
The best time to host an event is during a legislative recess or on days when the Legislature is not in session. Jessica Muradian, Director of Government Affairs, maintains a schedule of formal sessions of the Legislature. Jessica and Kerry Miller, Director Operations can offer invaluable assistance and can be reached at 508-303-9905.
Issue a specific, rather than open-ended, invitation. Invite your legislator and some of his/her staff. Remember, we're in the hospitality business. If the meeting is in the morning, provide coffee, tea, pastries, etc. Your goal is not to make it festive, this is a meeting to discuss business, but use all the tools you have at your disposal.
Let the lawmaker's office know if there is a specific issue you want to discuss during the event. There are thousands of bills pending at all times on Beacon Hill. No single legislator can be aware of them all. They will want to be as informed as possible so they can discuss your issues with you intelligently.
Give your employees a little background on your legislator. Reps and Senators enjoy being recognized and acknowledged, just like everyone else. Encourage your employees to address them as "Representative" Jones or "Senator" Smith.-Always follow up with a thank you note afterwards!
Ask for a business card before they leave so you will have their complete address or click here to go to the Massachusetts Legislature's directory where you'll find the address and room number of your legislator. Just a brief note, thanking them for their time and interest is all that is required.
