Political expert David Mullinax speaks to Rotary
California League of Cities’ representative David Mullinax encourages public participation, praises local Assemblyman
David Mullinax speaks to the Paso Robles Rotary Club.
David Mullinax, a regional public affairs manager with the California League of Cities, spoke last Thursday to the Paso Robles Rotary Club.
With 35 years experience in the political arena as a consultant and lobbyist, Mullinax offered a rare insight into the roles of lobbyists, the California League of Cities, and politicians at all levels in the state.
He explained the 100-year-old league’s three major functions: educating elected officials and staff on government workings, lobbying the State government on behalf of the 480 cities in the State, and providing political policy to state legislators on matters affecting California cities.
The league’s emphasis is “local government, local control” to ensure that cities don’t again serve as “ATM machines” for the State to balance its books. In addition, the league reminds legislators that “one size does not fit all”…a policy that works for LA may not work well for Paso Robles.
Mullinax explained the important role that local people and elected officials perform when they get involved and communicate with their state legislators. Their effect is even more useful when solutions representing a broad constituency are presented with the problem at hand. Recognizing that state level issues can be hard to keep informed about, Mullinax shared his concern that only three newspapers have bureaus in Sacramento, down from 20 only a few years ago. The impact is that people have difficulty staying knowledgeable/ engaged with the many issues that directly affect every person in the state.
Similarly, Mullinax spoke candidly about politicians in office, and how they change as they are influenced by lobbyists, political donations, and access by special interests. The reality for politicians is raising funds for re-election, for “fact finding” trips, and for myriad of campaign expenses.
Donations buy access and access provides influence, Mullinax said. He praised State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian as a rare politician who has not painted himself into an ideological corner, who can work across the aisle with Democrats, who is the only Republican chairing a committee in the Assembly, and who is able to get legislation passed in the Democratic controlled Assembly. Mullinax said Achadjian is genuinely appreciated by all elected officials, and he is unusual in being a small businessman, an elected official who has served at local and county levels, and who represents his constituents.
Comments
