Local Government

Local governments are encouraged to initiate their own “Plug-In (name)” Campaign.
Austin kicked off Plug-In Austin on August 22, 2005. Cities across America are invited to use the Plug-In theme and materials for a Plug-In (name of City/County) campaign.

Resources in the Plug-In Partners Packet can be a springboard for your involvement:

1. Bring forward a resolution supporting a local “Plug-In (name of city)” campaign. A draft resolution is provided in the Plug-In Partners Packet. Feel free to modify the template in whatever way works best for your City, County and Community.
2. Submit the Plug-In Partner Commitment Form; by doing so, you’ll be joining the National Initiative as an official Plug-In Partner and will be included in a national listing.
3. Determine the components of your campaign among rebates and incentives, soft fleet orders, a signature petition drive, and solicitation of endorsements from local organizations.
4. Hold a press conference to announce your PHEV initiative and your participation in the Plug-In Partners National Campaign.
5. Consider establishing a soft fleet order for the future. Your “soft” commitment will be most effective if you specify the types and quantity of vehicles that you would likely purchase: such as, sedans, vans, light duty trucks, heavy trucks, or whatever type vehicle that best fits your fleet profile. Since there is not a vehicle currently available for purchase at this time, it is understood that this is not a firm order. It is also recognized that local governments must go through the proper purchasing requirements and meet other public commitments. Nonetheless, your city or county or school district could signal a desire to include plug-in hybrids in their fleets by indicating they are seriously interested in purchasing such vehicles. An example might be that a city indicates it wants X sedans, X vans, and X light duty trucks that are PHEV. When you add up such a “wish list” among all the local governments and other fleet “orders”, it becomes a viable market for that type of vehicle.
6. Work with your local Chamber of Commerce and large employers to promote fleet orders among larger businesses. (See Business Plug-In Partner).
7. Support a local petition drive to automakers. A template petition is provided in the Plug-In Partners Packet. Feel free to modify the template to suit your local needs. Set a limited time for the petition drive, for instance six months or a year. Establish a small team of speakers who can make short presentations before neighborhood or civic groups and collect signatures.
8. Encourage endorsements of the Plug-In Partnerships campaign by local organizations, neighborhood associations, environmental groups, civic clubs and other local groups. Ask that they pass a resolution and that they encourage their members to sign a petition. A template resolution is is provided in the Plug-In Partners Packet. If members or organizations can influence fleet purchases, ask that they do so to add additional PHEVs to the soft purchases list being compiled in your community.
9. Encourage other local governments to join the effort. Identify and work with at least two other local governments interested in launching a Plug-In Partnership campaign.
10. Provide results of the local campaign to www.pluginpartners.org, the national Plug-In Partnerships database. This would include rebate and incentive commitments, soft fleet orders, the number of signatures collected, endorsements and the number of members in each endorsing group and success stories or upcoming events related to press conferences and community activities. All reported data will be compiled with summaries provided quarterly and promoted through press releases and other avenues.
11. Support policies promoting PHEVs. This may include opportunities related to legislation and other policy formulation that will promote the manufacturing of PHEVs. It could also include the enactment of local ordinances or actions to provide incentives for plug-ins.
12. Coordinate with your local utilities, businesses, environmental groups, and non-profit organizations. Ask them to become a Plug-In Partner. Ask them to join you at the kick-off press conference in your community to show their partnership and support.