Hi everyone, I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch. I had an unexpected yet highly successful back surgery in early December. Between the pain leading up to the surgery, and the recuperation period following, I’m just now getting back into action. I’m thankful to Rick Eytcheson for hanging in with the TV side through recent developments. As our campaign for state funding for public media now enters a new phase focused on the legislature, I hope that you can continue in this effort by meeting with your state legislators and discussing our state funding proposals. Below you will find the recent developments in this campaign, our work moving forward and what we hope you can do to advance our advocacy. Last month representatives of California’s public media stations met with Governor Newsom’s Chief of Staff, Ann O’Leary, to discuss the work of the stations and our state funding proposals. Prior to that meeting, Michael Isip (KQED) and Andy Russell (Public Media Group of Southern California) had chance meetings with O’Leary where state funding was briefly discussed. In both of those conversations, O’Leary encouraged us to create funding proposals that were first-time funding requests instead of requests for sustained funding, due to uncertainty in the economy and little interest in new long-term programs. O’Leary also encouraged us to focus on public safety and early education initiatives. That intel allowed us to create the three funding proposals discussed in the December formal meeting with O’Leary. Those proposals are attached. Following that conversation, she encouraged us to meet with key public safety and early education advisors to Governor Newsom. We are currently awaiting those meetings. Now that the legislature has convened, we are also developing a parallel legislative strategy to advocate for these proposals. Our consultant in this initiative, Will Glasscock, recently had a conversation with a CA Senate staffer who walked him through the budget process and the timeline for our advocacy. Here is the budget process timeline: January: CA legislature convenes January – late February: legislature is relatively quiet, especially on the budget Late February – early May: legislature works on the budget May 14: Governor releases revised budget proposal June 15: legislature must pass budget One of the key action items for us in this process is to find legislators to draft a budget request letter on our behalf to the budget committee chairs. We will also be asking legislators to sign onto these letters in support of our funding requests. *Our goal, starting now, is to meet with legislators to discuss our funding proposals and to find champions willing to author and sign onto the budget request letters*. By requesting meetings with your legislators in your district(s) – ideally at your station – during the quiet time of January to late February, legislators will have an opportunity to learn more about the work of your station and the importance of this state funding to California’s public media. Hopefully you can think about which legislators in your station’s footprint would be interested in these proposals and invite them to meet with you at your station. Attached is a letter template that may be helpful in inviting legislators to your station. If possible, please let me know which legislators you will be contacting. Thank you and please let Rick or me know if you have any questions. *Frank Lanzone, Jr. * President ~ General Manager KCBXfm <http://www.kcbx.org/> KCBXnet <http://www.kcbx.net/> *Calif Public Radio* 4100 Vachell Lane San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-549-8855