Thread by @ctclimatejobs

Good Morning,
We are happy to be live tweeting today's webinar, "Changing the Future: An Online Discussion on How You Can Play a Role in Influencing the Ways Laws are Made in Connecticut."

Joining us for the conversation are:
Julie Kushner, State Senator (24th District)
Jonathan Harris, Senior Advisor to Gov. Lamont
Sarah Ganong, CT Working Families Party State Political Director
Nate Brown, IUOE Local 478 Director of Government Affairs

CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs Executive Director Aziz Dehkan will open the event with a few words... #BeTheChange

There is still time to register at bit.ly/changingthefut….

Aziz Dehkan: "I want to introduce our panel...Jonathan Harris. Jonathan is an attorney and long-time public servant and has held a number of roles in our state government, including State Senator, Deputy Treasurer, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection...."

"Jonathan has also been Undersecretary for Intergovernmental Policy and Planning for the Office of Policy and Management. Jonathan currently works in the Governor’s Office as Senior Advisor to Governor Lamont."

"Sarah Ganong is the Campaigns Director at Connecticut Working Families Party, a grassroots organization fighting for the many and not the few. Sarah has been at CT Working Families Party for the past four years at the intersection of issue advocacy and electoral campaigns."

Nate Brown is the Government and Community Relations Director for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478. He has extensive experience with CT’s legislative process as a rep. of his union members, and this past spring worked with the Roundtable to pass SB 999.

State Senator Julie Kushnerrepresents CT 10th district, including Bethel, Danbury, New Fairfield, and Sherman. She serves as Senate Chair of the Labor & Public Employees Committee, Vice Chair of the Public Health Committee.

Sen. Kushner is a member of the Appropriations, Education, Environment, Executive & Legislative Nominations, and Housing committees. Senator is a long-time advocate for working families, and has advocated for pay increases, improved health care, and secure childcare benefits.

Nate Brown: "Working on something such as SB 999 that would include climate and workforce - that would create jobs, we began having these discussions."

Sarah Ganong: "I think it's important to see green jobs in more than just building the things we need for our future, we also need to look at those jobs that care for others as being green jobs that can happen in low carbon environments."

Sen. Kushner: "What I've always believed is that many of the hardworking people in the fossil fuel industry work hard to make the middle class. So it is really hard to see how to make that transition and keep the benefits. Linking good jobs to green energy jobs is for all of us."

Sen. Kushner: "I wish some of our legislators would see the big picture. Passing SB 999 (Just Transition Bill) is a great way to ensure that every worker is able to have the kind of jobs that maintain the progress they've made."

Jonathan Hill: "One of the things about advocacy is knowing your role, so I would have yielded comment to the Senator. Besides the substance of SB 999, it is always good to come to the legislature with 'policy bumps' that affect more than one area."

Jonathan Hill: "The legislative process is a long-term process. It's the small steps that get you back to the door...Rep. Roy, it took him 7 years to get the hands-free cell phone bill passed. It has to be reckoned with that long-term process."

Sen. Kushner: "One of the things that I find useful to me is the relationship I have with all of the organizations who know these issues...to make sure that we are allies. What happens for me is that I look to you. This bill 999 is an example of that, you brought it to me."

Sen. Kushner: "I would encourage you to come to me with your ideas, hopefully before the session starts."

Sarah Ganong: "Green, clean transportation is another area I see people, regardless of where they live, being something they would like to see happen in the legislature."

Nate Brown: "Absolutely on transportation. That is going to be a critical piece at putting people to work."

Jonathan Hill: "Infrastructure and transportation are going to come up in the next section. But it will be a short session, 3 mos., then you have to really think what can get done in an election year, and even more a gubernatorial election year."

Sen. Kushner: "We need to find those issues that enrich people's lives."

Sarah Ganong: "We need to be thinking big going into a gubernatorial election and all House members are up. We need to go big with policy proposals and making sure that the legislature is hearing what the people want. It's too easy for them to hear the small things."

Sarah Ganong: "I think it goes for folks of both parties. We are going to be pushing for folks who have our shared voices."

I apologize for the incorrect spellings of Jonathan Harris's name. The joys of live tweeting. Apologies to Jonathan. Thank you for your input.

Sen. Kushner: "One thing that made my election successful is that Working Families Party did a lot of door-to-door campaigning on paid family leave. So when I went door-to-door, people had already heard about the issue and were on board. More door-to-door campaigning helps.

Jonathan Harris: "Score cards are a useful tool, but it also matters what things are weighted, for example an organization held me at a lower rate for a committee vote without realizing there was more behind it. All it did was annoy. Make sure you annoy in a good way, though."

Sarah Ganong: "Try to get a hold of what the politician is thinking instead of relying solely on the score card."

Nate Brown: "Showing up is important. We know this in the building trades. We need to be engaging with everyone if we want to get things done and something voted on."

Jonathan Harris: "It's the 3 P's that help- Policy, People, Process. Know your policy issue. Be flexible in the process. Think about how you present it. What is the supplemental that has your details? The most effective advocacy is having people across the desk who are affected."

Jonathan Harris: "Everyone deserves respect. From the President of the Senate to the griddle cook. I have learned a lot from Melissa who works the cafeteria because she is listening."

Jonathan Harris: "Being here, in the building, in that kind of visceral is really important. So, I think the 3 P's are a way to engage citizens and others in the process."

Sen. Kushner: "Zoom meetings were very effective during quarantine. Set your priorities, form a coalition and schedule a Zoom with the chairs of the committees in advance of the session so that we at least get the bill introduced this session, even if there is no movement on it."

Sarah Ganong: "A direct legislative strategy and coalition ready to work in the building, getting our people into office for the long-term is a huge deal."

Sen. Kushner: "We're (legislators) willing to sit with anybody. However, it takes a lot to get a bill passed. So, having the resources - a coalition is critical."

Sen. Kushner: "I think there are so many opportunities to using Zoom in this area. We are in a moment where people have much more access to their legislators. We are really moved by the stories we hear, so getting people at the grassroots level is how you do it."

Nate Brown: "A lot of people feel like they can't be a part of the process, but they are . They are part of the solution and the big part of that is getting the message out to them and letting them know they can be part of the process."

Sarah Ganong: "The Zoom meetings allow for people to be comfortable in their setting and it makes them more comfortable telling their stories."

Jonathan Harris: "Go to them. Rather than taking a passive approach go to where the people are and hear them. You can't expect them to come to you."

Jonathan Harris: "Your going to have a series of ups and downs. Remember to be respectful, your word is your bond. You may not agree with that person on one particular day, but later, you may be on the same side."

Sen. Kushner: "As legislators, committee chairs really appreciate it when you know that a bill may need to go to another committee that you ask the chair of your committee to give the chair of the other committee a heads up."

Jonathan Harris: "Don't just look at legislative advocacy as just the legislature, the executive branch also plays a part in it."

In response to a viewer, Sen. Kushner: "I think that you would find a lot of interested parties there that would be interested in this. Get a coalition together and that would be something that is a next step for us?"

Viewer question on SB 999 2.0, Sen. Kushner: "My conversations with the building trades, I felt that one area we can contribute to is to be sure that the jobs created are good paying jobs, they would have to be union jobs. That is another area where we can work with labor on."

What did we learn about passing #SB999 that we can apply to #TCI, Sen. Kushner: "I think the attack on TCI as a gas tax made it difficult to pass. Then more progressives wanted it to go further and that was a roaddblock as well. I think we need to package it w/ something else."

Jonathan Harris: "These discussions of doing it as a coalition instead of individual interested parties will be key to getting #TCI passed."

Can individuals or groups meet with elected officials with ideas and proposals? Jonathan Harris: "Yes. And it should happen more. I've met with more individuals than groups."

Sarah Ganong: "Quoting Congresswoman Pressley's (D-MA) comments in this last session, 'those closest to the pain are closest to the power.'"

Sen. Kushner: "As legislators, we love it when we can come up for solutions for our communities."

Jonathan Harris: "With SB 999, @ctclimatejobs was the squeaky wheel and I loved that about what you all did. Be the squeaky wheel. Avoid being the scratching down a chalkboard."

Any other initiatives Nate Brown wants to work on in addition to leaky pipes? Nate: "I think this is something we can get done this year with getting the leaking pipes removed, so it will be my main focus this year."

Aziz Dehkan, Exec. Dir of @ctclimatejobs "We all have together to make sure the work gets done. We don't always get what we want, but to look at the intersectionality and decide what is the more important thing we want to do."

Aziz: "Thank you to our panelists: Sen. Kushner, Jonathan Harris, Sarah Ganong, and Nate Brown. There are a lot of pieces to put together and we will be doing this as we move forward with these webinars. Carry on."

Visit our website for information on how to register for the next webinar in this series. Follow us on Facebook at Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs. Follow us here and on Instagram. END