Forming a Town Committee ("TC") is a proven way to bring tangible benefits of greater visibility, political influence, and more active party members to your community. It's happening all over the country--here's how you can get started.
Begin by planning an initial organizing meeting. Tell your state chair that you're forming a TC, and get a list of Libertarians in your town. Pick a date & location, and send a letter to those local members.
Don't be discouraged if only a handful of names are in your town--as you'll see, much can be accomplished with few people in the beginning. Follow-up your mailing with a personal phone call to encourage --attendance. If there's a "hot" local issue, you might use the formation of a position on it as a catalyst to help encourage participation.
A TC needs bylaws--the simpler the better. You can clone your state by-laws, or for a short-and-sweet example email LPCT activist John Joy (jmj@lpct.org. More on Mr. Joy later.). Now is also a good time to contact your Secretary of State's office and obtain state-specific information relating to financial reporting and contribution restrictions for TC's.
Since you will be "Chair Pro Tem" during the initial meeting, have a draft of the bylaws ready, make any changes needed, and vote to adopt them. After you elect officers, you officially exist as a political entity.
If you're meeting at a library, that's a good opportunity to get the contact names & fax numbers for your local newspapers & radio stations. Create a professional-looking letterhead with your trusty word processor, write up an announcement of the TC's formation, and fax away. Not sure how to do a press release? The National LP and your state organization are two good sources for examples of formats you can follow.
So...you've formed a committee, and the locality now knows of your existence. What's next?
A TC should attempt to observe, comment on, and affect municipal governance.
Attend those weekly town or school committee meetings, including separate budget-related ones. Get a copy of the town budget, and, after finding it inscrutable, call the town treasurer and ask questions about it until you have a comfortable understanding of the document, as well as the process by which it is created. Get a copy of your town charter as well, so you can understand the rules of the game.
What kinds of issues should you focus on? I'll go out on a limb by suggesting *taxes and spending levels* as a good starting point, but you need to be more specific to be effective. Anyone can be a "crank," show up at a public hearing, and badger the town fathers about government gone out of control. To be effective, you must offer *credible alternatives* in a constructive, positive fashion. Don't send letters--in person is best.
Try to create opportunities to show yourselves as the good guys--a food drive for a local non-governmental charity, or similar high-profile volunteerism. Walk the walk of Libertarian volunteerism, and leverage any existing community involvement on the part of your local members.
Eventually, a TC becomes a launching point for local candidates.
Example: In Oxford, CT (pop. 10,000), a 1994 proposal to hire an Economic Development Director precipitated the formation of the Oxford Town Libertarian Committee--about 3-4 people to begin with. Repeated public testimony on behalf of the committee was given by its chair, computer consultant John Joy, whose effective press releases helped to create press coverage of the issue. After the proposal stalled, Mr. Joy was on a roll. He got appointed to a local board. Later, his committee graciously created a web site promoting the town, with the blessing of the Selectmen. The following year, the TC ran a slate of 5 Libertarian candidates, and later they packed a local hall to capacity for a catered fund-raiser/campaign kick-off, complete with prominent local supporters & press. Concurrently, the nearby town of Windham, CT formally organized, and ran a local slate of 19 Libertarians. Committees continue to be organized & active in Connecticut, including Stamford & Norwich, CT.
By now you're getting the idea--Town Committees work!
They are a basic building block in creating a more widespread Libertarian Party presence, allowing us the opportunity to show ourselves as constructive, concerned citizens who want what's best for our towns. If you want to attract more publicity & more members, there's nothing like an active TC to stimulate local interest in Libertarianism. And especially when you're just starting out, a few people can make a difference.
You can, too. Stand up for Liberty--make a commitment to organize your town this year.
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Libertarian National Committee member Mark Tuniewicz served as campaign manager for the Windham, CT slate of candidates, as well as for John Joy's bid for Selectman. He was elected LNC Treasurer unopposed at the 1996 LP National Convention.