Lawmaker – CDC Relationship Crucial in Term-Limited States
In August, CPA brought together leaders of Arkansas community
development corporations (CDCs), representatives of state government agencies and legislators from the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus to find more constructive ways to collaboratively guide key community issues through the legislative process. The meeting was modeled after a similar July meeting between Georgia legislators and community groups.
"We became more sensitized to
the challenges legislators face in getting a bill passed," said Andre Stephens, Executive Director of the Arkansas Association of Community Development Corporations, Inc., an alliance of Arkansas CDCs. Stephens added that CDC leaders were encouraged to get state lawmakers actively involved in CDC’s work in order to build a
framework for future collaboration.
"We saw the importance of taking a step back to first develop
a rapport with legislators," he noted.
Legislators stressed that particularly in states like
Arkansas, where officials serve limited terms and are in session alternating years, it is crucial for community groups to bring issues to the table before the legislative session begins and have in place legislative contacts who can support and steer a bill. Equally challenging for lawmakers is the task of staying informed on key issues and finding organizations to rely upon for good information. Participants agreed that next steps will include incorporating the private sector
into CDC public education and marketing strategies.
The meeting was a project of
CPA’s Community Policy and Leadership Forum and the Revitalizing Communities
Program, and was sponsored by the Arkansas Association of Community
Development Corporations.
