also very important.
MC: How much do you need to know and understand the legislator as an individual versus the legislator’s constituents?
LB: It’s most important to know the legislator as an individual, as a person. But it is also necessary to understand the constituency that elects and hopefully re-elects the legislator in order to most effectively frame an argument that may affect his or her constituents.
MC: Must staff members be from their legislator’s district?
LB: District staff are always from the district. Some staff originate in the district and migrate to Harrisburg. Others sometimes leave one legislator and go to work for another. There is no particular pattern to staffing.
MC: Aside from helping to pass or block legislation, what other services do you provide to your clients?
LB: Our government relations firm believes that part of our role for our clients is strategic policy planning, helping them to set realistic legislative goals. We also have a full time staff person who monitors all legislation and regulations that might affect that client. She also monitors the media for client related policy news. Additionally, for those of our clients that have political action committees and contribute financially to legislators, we advise them on the best use of their money.
MC: What aspect of your job are most people unaware of?
LB: There is a lot of hurrying up and then waiting for votes on legislation that get delayed.
MC: Although sometimes entirely outside of my control, having good facts and witnesses helps with my job. How can your clients help you?
LB: As we like to say in our firm, we don’t do magic, our work is most effective in partnership with our client who is always the subject expert and who must be involved in the legislative process for us to succeed.
MC: Do you live in a community association?
LB: I do. Ninety-seven homes in suburban Harrisburg. I was our HOA’s first president.
MC: With your assistance, CAI has made major progress in Harrisburg. However, I get the sense that many of the issues impacting community associations remain largely misunderstood in Harrisburg. What do you think?
LB: CAI’s issues are complex and generally affect a law that doesn’t get much attention in the Capitol unless CAI decides to amend it. Often CAI has passed bills with no amendments or input from any
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other interest group or legislator because they don’t understand the particular bill or the underlying law. Those are the good times. Other times, like currently, CAI is trying to pass bills that a number of influential interest groups oppose. This is when CAI’s members need to be actively supporting CAI’s legislative initiatives.
MC: What else can members of CAI do to help our efforts in Harrisburg?
LB: The main thing CAI members can do to help advance CAI’s legislation is to develop relationships with their legislators and to be responsive when CAI requests they reach out to their legislators to urge support for that legislation.
MC: Thank you for taking some time to speak with me, Lou.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matthew C. Collins, Esq. serves as Chair of the Community Association Practice Group at Horn Williamson. Mr. Collins represents community associations throughout Pennsylvania, providing clients with expert advice so they can navigate difficult situations and resolve issues in a practical and cost-effective manner. Mr. Collins is an active contributor and participant in the Community Associations Institute, where he serves on the Legislative Action Committee and the Political Action Committee. Contact Matt at:
mcollins@hornwilliamson.com.
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