Narrative-first, evidence-driven

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Purpose: turn “I’m mad / I’m worried” into one clear request with a measurable outcome.

0) Context (1 sentence)

What’s happening, in plain words?

Example: “Our city is approving housing slowly, so rents keep climbing and families get squeezed.”

1) The ask (one sentence, specific)

What do I want them to do?

“Please sponsor/support [specific action] at [meeting/date].”

2) The outcome (measurable)

How will we know it worked?

Pick one:

• Approve X by date
• Fund $X for program in budget
• Publish data/report monthly
• Change policy from A → B
• Enforce existing rule consistently with metric

3) The why (2–3 sentences, human + grounded)

Keep it calm. No dunking. No mind-reading.

“This reduces the monthly squeeze for working families. It’s a practical fix, not a partisan one. It helps people stay housed and keeps the community stable.”

4) The tradeoff sentence (optional but powerful)

Show you’re serious.

“I understand this may mean [cost/change/priority], and I think it’s worth it because [reason].”

5) The “make it easy” step

What’s the next smallest step they can take?

Pick one:

• Can your office tell me yes/no by date?
• Who is the best staff contact on this?
• What would you need to support this?
• Can we do a 15-minute call?

6) Close (steady, not needy)

“Thanks for your work. I’m trying to stay consistent and useful. I’d appreciate a reply either way.”

Signature

• Name
• Address/neighborhood (or district)
• Phone (optional)
• “Constituent in [district]”

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