One Voice Legislative Program - 1990

To advocate for or against state and federal legislative projects, programs, and policies that would affect the residents of Merced County.

Merced County has many needs in the areas of transportation, economic development, air and water quality, healthcare, and education, to name a few. In the past, the legislative effort to bring needed funding or policy change at the state and federal levels was sporadic and fragmented.

Beginning in 2004, MCAG initiated the One Voice program, which brings together private and public sector leadership to identify priority issues, projects, and programs. One Voice made its first legislative visits in 2005, and was successful in securing funding for Merced County. In late 2004 and early 2005, legislative consultants, under contract to the County of Merced, provided scheduling and advocacy assistance. In 2005, the MCAG Governing Board agreed to fund 4-6 months of consulting services in both Sacramento and Washington, DC from MCAG member contributions. This expanded MCAG’s ability to learn about and comment on proposed legislation and bond measure issues.

In 2006-07, member jurisdictions funded a full year (12 months) of consultant services in both capital cities, and the designation of a MCAG staff coordinator equivalent to one-third time. The consulting services proved to be of great value in helping MCAG maintain awareness of issues likely to impact areas of interest to member jurisdictions and the One Voice program. For 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10, full year contracts were renewed.

One Voice Purpose and Protocol

One Voice unites private and public sector leadership in a voluntary and collaborative effort to identify priority issues, projects, and programs that should be advocated to legislators in Sacramento and Washington, DC.  One Voice participants are in agreement that the projects chosen will contribute significantly to an improved quality of life throughout the Merced County region.

In 2009-10, One Voice procedure changed to place decision-making in the hands of a Steering Committee rather than in open meetings, where decisions were made by whoever showed up rather than in a consistent, deliberative process. To mirror this new procedure, the protocol was changed to read as follows:

• Any member of the public may attend meetings.
• Delegates must agree to uphold the spirit of One Voice and stay on the agenda approved by the One Voice Steering Committee.
• Any issue may become a priority during any fiscal year, but it must have prior approval by the appropriate governing body or city council.
• If an agency or jurisdiction wants One Voice to consider an issue for priority status, a representative must be at the meeting to explain and discuss the issue.
• Issues for the year are listed and selected by all who attend One Voice meetings. Attendees narrow the list of projects and recommend priority projects to the MCAG Governing Board for approval.
• All projects do not need to be specifically beneficial to all jurisdictions in Merced County. However, if a project is beneficial to one or more jurisdictions, but detrimental to another, it will not be carried forward.
• Priority projects must have a traveling delegate from the respective jurisdiction or agency.
• The One Voice name or logo may not be used in any manner that does not have the explicit approval, in writing, from MCAG.
• One Voice delegates agree to present no other issues but those selected for the year by the One Voice participants. Other meetings may be set with legislators and agencies, but these should be scheduled on days others than those set aside for the One Voice annual visit. At these separate meetings, delegates should not present themselves as representing One Voice.

Other general ground rules are as follows:

• We acknowledge that we all have something to teach and something to learn. Everyone’s opinion matters. Everyone participates and no one person dominates.
• We will be open to rethinking our own assumptions and to hearing other people’s ideas.
• We will act with respect for everyone’s knowledge and experience by:
• Listening without interrupting or talking over each other
• Listening without judging someone’s ideas or experiences
• Sharing time equally with each other
• Agreeing to disagree respectfully and openly in the meeting rather than leaving discussions until after the meeting
• Focusing on issues, not personalities
• We agree to act in the best interest of Merced County and move beyond our own self-interest.
• When stating or responding to issues, we will strive to offer solutions.
• We agree to listen to our community neighbors and members of the groups which we represent, and to reflect their concerns, ideas and needs.
• We will share all relevant information.
• We will strive to make decisions based on consensus. An individual’s silence will be interpreted as agreement.
• We recognize that we have an obligation to the residents of Merced County and will report back to them the results of this meeting via the MCAG website. Minutes and results of voting will become public record. Dissension will be reflected in the minutes.
• Meetings are open to anyone who would like to participate or observe.
• Both participants and observers must agree to follow the purpose and protocol of the One Voice program, as stated above.

One Voice Priority Project Selection Process

The One Voice Steering Committee is comprised of the city and county managers, plus one representative from those public organizations that provide a significant and ongoing monetary contribution to the program. Committee members spend several months discussing issues from a long list of needs in Merced County, selecting 5-8 priorities which, if they were to be funded, would impact, for the better, the quality of life throughout Merced County.

There are many factors that go into consideration of a priority project. Sometimes projects are chosen, not because they are the most critical, but because there is a better opportunity to get funding, depending on the climate in the state and federal capitals. Sometimes a project is chosen because it is a crucial piece in a larger plan. Projects can come from any category, including, but not limited, to Transportation, Economic Development, Water, Education, Law Enforcement, and Health Care.