ARRM News: Day at the Capitol, March 13th

Mark your calendar now for our annual Day at the Capitol on Tuesday March 13th.  We've reserved the capitol rotunda from 10 a.m. to noon for a rally to be followed (or preceded) with your visits with legislators.

Our principal effort will be to build on the Governor's increase, but there's already significant competition for any additional dollars. The Governor's budget targeted funding in a lot of areas, but not as much as most stakeholders and many legislators want.

When: March 13th at State Capitol and State Office Building.

Rally Time: We rally in the rotunda at 10:30 a.m. We'll line up speakers as we get closer to the event and will invite key leaders from the House and Senate.

Legislative Appointments: The rally will get people's attention and generate energy, but the biggest reason you're there is to talk with your legislators. It's those personal connections that make a COLA one of the Legislature's priorities for funding.

Something to Remember: Every year our Public Relations and Public Affairs Committees come up with something memorable to "leave behind" with legislators to reinforce your message. This year you'll have a large (Coca)COLA cup with a tag featuring the cover picture we used on our Legislative Agenda and the chart comparing inflation with recent rate changes.

The Main Message: We'll build on the goodwill we've developed over the past few years. The COLA cup tagline will be "Thanks for filling our cup."

Making Legislator Appointments: It's a good idea to start making your appointments soon as legislators' calendars fill up fast.

To find out who your legislators are:

• Go to the Links/Government Links section of the ARRM website
• Click Find Your Legislator under Minnesota Legislature
• Click District Finder
• Enter your home address and zip code OR Call 651-296-2146 or 1-800-657-3550 or TTY 651-296-9897 during regular business hours

How to Register: There is no registration fee. Click here to complete ARRM's online registration form. As in past years we want hundreds of people there. Should you decide to bring consumers with you, make sure they have informed permission from their parent or guardian as the activity that day is lobbying on behalf of the providers and services they receive.