Presidio joined forces with a regional hospitality industry trade association on the brink of a significant municipal wage initiative campaign. The initiative was already slated for the ballot, and our involvement was pivotal, immediately delving into extensive lobbying and public advocacy efforts. Our objective was to persuade the City Council to opt for a special election, as opposed to adopting the ordinance outright or allocating it to a general election ballot, amidst a statewide tide of similar initiatives. This involved a multifaceted, six-week lobbying endeavor, including briefings, education sessions for association members, and the creation of briefing collateral to articulate their cases effectively to policymakers.
Simultaneously, Presidio spearheaded an eight-week digital advertising campaign, stimulating substantial public response that resulted in thousands of emails from city residents to the City Council. The public urged the council to undertake a meticulous economic analysis of the measure and, subsequently, to organize a special election. This initiative concluded with the City Council commissioning an economic study and eventually mandating a special election. Remarkably, this was a precedent-setting achievement for the hospitality industry statewide, marking the first instance an economic study or special election was sanctioned for such wage initiatives. Presidio’s adeptness in association management and government relations services reinforced our ability to strategically navigate and influence legislative processes so that they aligned with our client’s goals and the broader industry interests.
