hot topic | A MESSAGE FROM THE CSG CHAIR
By Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jay Scott Emler 2012 CSG National Chair
CAPITOL IDEAS
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NOV / DEC 2012
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Photo by Aaron Barna
President Harry Truman once said, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” But for 80 years, leaders in state capitols have known if you want a friend, call on The Council of State Governments. For me, CSG is all about friendship. Through my involvement in both CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference and CSG’s national policy work, I have come to think of CSG as family. As the 2012 national chair, my pride in the work of CSG and its members has only grown. Today, CSG is stronger than ever and I am convinced CSG remains one of the most cost-effective tools state leaders have to create meaningful change and lasting solutions. Each state, commonwealth and territory supports CSG through the payment of state dues. The amount of these dues is established by a formula approved by the states. Since its founding, CSG has always been a community of the states. CSG isn’t an organization separate from the states; it is where the states come together. CSG’s scope of activities and services is broad, but its mission is simple: To help today’s state leaders successfully navigate the future. We do that by creating forums where regional and national issues can be explored, by discovering and sharing proven solutions that work, by working across party and state lines and with all three branches of state government, by building leadership skills, and by engaging with international and private sector partners to expand our capacity to make a difference. We also advocate for the states in Washington, D.C. CSG is built on the belief that when state leaders come together, good things happen. Whether it is creating interstate compacts, regional solutions or interstate cooperation, CSG is an active forum for states to address policy concerns that overlap state boundaries. States working together are often better able than the federal government to address a challenge. CSG is the only association that includes all three branches of state government. This unique structure allows
