Being Heard By Politicians

Every industry has to deal with the ups and downs of government regulation and landscape professionals are no different. The legislation passed on Capitol Hill affects every aspect of how you run your company, from taxes to hiring practices. Business owners intuitively know this, but getting involved in the political process to make your voice heard can seem overwhelming from a distance, especially in our currently charged climate. If you only see the news or look at Twitter, getting involved in politics seems daunting and maybe even pointless. As a state representative and landscape business owner, I have both a unique perspective and a vested interest in helping more landscapers get involved in the democratic process. Over the course of my seven-year tenure as a statesman, I’ve been approached by many professionals looking for ways to be heard. There is power in being involved, and I’m more than happy to help our industry find its collective voice in politics. I assure you, from my experience, that most lawmakers, regardless of political party, are good people just trying to help the people they represent. I can’t speak for every elected official, but I can offer some insights into the process and provide some ideas to help drive the kind of policy change we all want to see. Vote. It may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people try to affect change without even being registered to vote. Ideally, professionals will have voted in at least the most recent ...