News from LINC

Empowering Independence!

All Politics is Local

Just because the state legislature is finished, that does not mean your chance to have your voice heard has ended. Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill might have said this while serving in Congress, his point is true – so many decisions made about our daily lives occurs at a local, not national, level. From cities and counties, to school districts and other special districts, each group that makes these decisions has a process through which we, the people, can give our feedback.

See a problem that needs to be addressed? Want to begin some local systems advocacy? No matter who is making the decision, if they are elected or paid by the tax payer, they can receive comments from the public. Here’s how to get started:

1> Find out who makes the decisions about your issue. This may take a couple of phone calls or internet searches, but there is an answer.

2> Begin attending their meetings and read their materials like meeting minutes, communication and more. Most have a website and social media pages that show you what they have covered recently. Get to know this group. Research who is on the board or council. Understanding who they are as people will help you.

3> Find out when things happen. Every organization has a funding cycle. For large projects, that may be once a year. Once that budget is set, no amount of advocating will help. Talk to paid staff to find out these cycles.

Using these 3 steps will enable you to understand who you are asking and how to ask them!

If you are interested in self-advocacy training, check out LINC’s website for more information!

LINC has three offices to serve you. www.lincidaho.org

1182 Eastland Drive North
Suite C
Twin Falls ID 83301
(208) 733-1712 VOICE
(208) 733-7711 TDD

1878 West Overland Road
Boise ID 83705
(208) 336-3335 VOICE
(208) 336-3335 TDD
(208) 384-5037 FAX

703 S. Kimball Ave
Caldwell ID 83605
(208) 454-5511 VOICE
(208) 454-5511 TDD
(208) 454-5515 FAX