And then there is the lost art of grassroots lobbying that only one government relations company has mastered.
Empire Government Strategies has mastered every form of lobbying and its growing client base is proof that Empire has mastered all of the winning techniques that a lobbying company must know and use. But this year's grassroots campaign by Empire for two well-known trade groups will be considered one of the most effective campaigns ever used.
At the beginning of the 2009 legislative session the
Bowling Proprietors of New York State learned that the governor's proposed budget contained an amusement tax that would require every bowling alley in New York State to charge sales tax on everything from shoe rentals to children's' parties.
The bowling industry has been hit hard by the current recession, but in every community a bowling facility is one of the only places that families of modest means can have an hour or two of fun. A sales tax on all bowling activities would have destroyed the industry and robbed families of a key leisure activity.
Empire Government Strategies came to the rescue. The lobbying group embarked on a comprehensive grassroots campaign to help New York's bowling proprietors make their case. Over a period of four weeks, over 410,000 postcards arrived at the offices of state legislators. The cards were signed by bowling customers from Buffalo to Montauk. The postcard campaign was followed by television events at local bowling alleys featuring state legislators and regular customers.
The next step in the hard-driving campaign was the visits to legislator's local offices by distressed owners. By last count the owners had conducted face-to-face meetings with 78 assembly and senate members. By April 1, the two houses announced that the amusement tax was dead. Not only did the bowling proprietors declare victory but the efforts helped Broadway and movie theater owners as well.
The second winning effort was on behalf of the
Bus Association of New York State, which was facing a transportation tax on all transit and tour trips. The average charter bus takes from 20 to 35 cars off the road and by all accounts is one of the environment's best friends.
Using mail, personal visits and a well-written white paper describing the evils of the tax, the Bus Association was able to declare victory a few days before the state got a new budget. Empire Government Strategies on behalf of both clients was able to prove that a solid grassroots program can work with the right lobbyists running the effort. Hats off to the team led by Chairman Jerry Kremer and including EGS lobbyists David Schwartz, Brad Gerstman and Anthony Figliola.
