Our Strategy
Our strategy for effective advocacy
The Ohio Restaurant Association’s strategic government affairs goal is to pass laws and regulations that help you compete more successfully in the marketplace and defeat those that have a negative effect on your business. We pay special attention to tax, labor, workers’ compensation, liquor and health proposals, but are vigilant as well to evaluate all proposed laws and regulations potentially impacting your business.
A successful public policy program has many parts and they all must work together. You have the power to contribute to our collective success. While a lobbyist in Columbus plays an important role, our political representation is only as strong as the army behind him or her.
We are proud to represent an industry so vital to our economy and quality of life. We are building a government affairs program that will match our political influence with our industry’s economic influence. You are invited to join us.
Get to know your own local state senator and state representative. Call or write each at least once a year to make yourself available as a resource on issues involving the foodservice industry. Then, when you respond to an ORA call to action on important legislation in the Statehouse, your lawmakers will be receiving input from a known and respected source.
Some ORA members know their respective legislators especially well. If that describes you, then you should be one of our Key Contacts. Key Contacts are our “go to” contacts with each of the 33 senators and 99 representatives. To sign up, email Joe Rosato.
To be effective advocates, Ohio Restaurant Association members must keep apprised of current issues impacting our industry. ORA helps with newsletters, e-mails and relevant information on our web site. All of us, staff and members, are responsible for educating state legislators.
We carefully evaluate all of the bills introduced in the General Assembly, review proposed rules and regulations, meet with and share information with a wide variety of organizational allies and of course talk regularly with lawmakers. We are constantly striving to build on our already strong credibility. We are a trusted source of useful information and legislators value our opinion.
Ohio Restaurant Political Action Committee
The Ohio Restaurant PAC is the vehicle that enables restaurants, purveyors and other allies in the foodservice industry to help elect candidates from both parties to the Ohio General Assembly who are supportive of the free enterprise system and want to allow businesses like yours to operate with as little government interference as possible. CLICK HERE to learn more and how to make a contribution.
For more information about ORA's government affairs program, contact Director of Government Affairs Joe Rosato at 614-246-0130 or jrosato@ohiorestaurant.org.
