Help Pass Water Affordability Legislation
PWBC (People’s Water Board Coalition) Endorsed
PWBC is a trusted partner in the effort to pass the Water Affordability Bill package. In support of that effort we need to personally take responsibility to urge our legislators to vote “Yes” on each of the bills.
By agreeing to join the effort organized by PWBC, you are pledging to do the following:
- Agree to call, by December 19th, 2023, the Michigan state House representative(s) to whom you’ve been assigned.
- Please gather the information called for on the Data Collection Questionnaire, enter it on the form and submit it electronically. You may also submit it by filling in a hardcopy form for each contact, taking a picture of each page and then emailing them to Barry Rubin or Cyndi Roper (Emails at the end of this document.)
- As you call the Lansing offices of the representatives please try to be in direct contact with the House member. If it can’t be arranged, inform us of whom in their office you are communicating with. It’s ok to speak to any staff member who has knowledge of their representative’s views on the bills, or promises to get back to you with that information. Please remember to be as courteous as possible with all the representatives and staff you encounter. A positive relationship with them can make this work much easier to complete.
- After your December contacts, please reach out to your representative(s) by the 25th of each subsequent month until the bills are passed by the full House. For all your contacts, please try to do it in person (perhaps a coffee hour in district) or by phone call. But if all attempts to do that fail, rather than miss a monthly contact, send an email to the representative or staff person you’ve been working with or the email for the representative’s office.
Opening Discussion points with your legislator or staff person: Hi, my name is __________. I am one of your constituents (or I’m calling on behalf of the People’s Water Board Coalition). I live in _________ (only for your own representative). I’m calling to ask you to please support the package of water affordability bills, HBs 5088-5093 which have already been given a hearing in the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee. Are you familiar with them? (Refer to PWBC summaries sheet if they are not.) They are designed to do three major things: Allow all Michiganders to have access to safe, affordable water at a price not to exceed 3% of their household income.Provide public water utilities with a way to increase their revenue intake, without increasing rates. Improve the water systems of all Michiganders as utilities will have more money for operations and infrastructure. (Complete the Data Collection Questionnaire with the representative or their staff person.) (End the session with) Thank you for your time. I will be back with you soon to update you on the progress of the bills. |
Thank you so much for joining this effort to pass the water bill package. This campaign has really been the work of many over more than 15 years. Now with bills actually in legislative committees, we must push to get them passed to give all Michigan citizens access to affordable, life-giving water.
