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Committee advances county legislative platform and outlines role for new lobbyist firm
Summary
The committee reviewed a draft Alameda County legislative platform and discussed selecting Full Moon Strategies (Amy Costa) as a full-service state lobbyist; staff said a full-service firm would attend meetings, prepare letters, and help departments act under the platform, while the platform will be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors.
The Policy Administration and Legislative Committee reviewed Alameda County's draft legislative platform and the county's approach to state lobbying on Dec. 9. The chair described a process of department input and county administration coordination and said the platform provides a framework authorizing departments and the county's lobbyists to take positions on short notice when items fit the platform.
The chair explained that the county had previously used a mix of CSAC (California State Association of Counties) information and a limited contract with Catbird Strategies, and that the county's procurement process identified Amy Costa of Full Moon Strategies as the recommended full-service state firm. A Full Moon Strategies representative said the firm would participate in weekly POW meetings, handle letter preparation and distribution on the county's behalf, and help centralize outreach so board offices and departments do not send uncoordinated correspondence to Sacramento or Washington.
"The platform gives our departments a framework for which they can support or oppose pieces of legislation... not necessarily needing to come to Powell every time if it fits within the platform," the Full Moon Strategies representative said, describing how the firm would flag items and sometimes request the county as a cosponsor or sign-on. The chair noted the platform and the proposed lobbyist selection were scheduled for the committee's agenda on Dec. 10 (tomorrow) and said the items would be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors for adoption unless objections were raised.
Why it matters: adopting a county legislative platform and retaining a full-service lobbyist affects how quickly Alameda County can respond to time-sensitive bills, the consistency of positions conveyed to Sacramento and Washington, and who prepares and sends official county letters of support or opposition.
No formal vote was recorded at the committee meeting; the chair said the platform would be forwarded to the full board as part of the committee's agenda.
