It is important to get experts to explain and execute the best legislative strategy. Ask for advice from a diverse set of groups and individuals in your own community. Remember, many people and groups will share your views about the negative impacts of Wal-Mart. It is up to you to activate, motivate, and spur them to action.
You and your community group, you and your allies, are a powerful force for change. Never forget that.
Form coalitions, join in common cause with other groups, help citizens form an anti-sprawl committee, support local candidates who share your view, and organize community demonstrations to make sure that every local leader knows how important this issue is in your community.
In addition, there are many other people who will support your efforts to change Wal-Mart but they are unaware that a Wal-Mart is even proposed or uninformed of the negative impacts a Wal-Mart will bring. These are people busily going about their lives, making a living, raising children, blissfully unaware of the threat. Once alerted, however, and properly motivated, they provide a virtual army of foot soldiers in the war against sprawl. They will write letters, make phone calls, round up neighbors, attend zoning commission meetings, hold rallies, and demand action from local politicians.
The opportunities are endless once you gather your strength – and your strength will help determine whether you can succeed in lobbying your local leaders who have a say in the development of a new Wal-Mart.
While some people complain, “politicians never listen,” the fact is that public participation in the legislative and regulatory process can be a very powerful tool. Officials at every level of government are responsive to public pressure, whether they are elected or appointed.
Elected officials, of course, respond directly to constituent concerns; but appointed officials owe their appointment to an elected official who, in turn, is answerable to the voters. Even unyielding officials, confronted by an onslaught of public outrage, letters and editorials in the newspaper, will respond to public pressure.
In other words, there is strength in numbers. Build your grassroots army. Get your strategy in place. Plan your tactics. Recruit allies. Arm your soldiers with facts, and inspire them with confidence and resolve. Keep your head high, and never waiver in your determination.
You have the power to hold your political leaders accountable and protect your community from the Wal-Mart's bad policies.
Your legal counsel, or other local experts, will suggest a variety of legislative tools and strategies that your group can employ to challenge a potential Wal-Mart development. Some of these legislative tools may appear intimidating, but your legal counsel and other experts will help lead this part of your group’s strategy.
To help you understand the various legislative tools that are available to you, we have provided basic descriptions, reasons to use certain types of legislative tools, as well as actual examples of legislative tools which have been used successfully. Each one of these legislative tools, or a group of them used together, can be a powerful force in your community fight.
Ask your legal counsel or other advisors as to which legislative tools are best to employ in your particular community fight.
Be sure to look at the examples we provide, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that in many cases you and your group can take the lead in using these legislative tools. Remember, winning a community fight depends on your group leading the fight against Wal-Mart.
