Candidate Mountain Biking Questionnaire Template
For use in political elections
Introduction
Candidates for public office are eager to discuss issues and publicize their positions to gain additional votes. They will usually respond to questions posed by interest groups, particularly if the questions are well-crafted, require only brief answers, and are submitted in writing. A questionnaire is a common tool used by advocacy groups to bring their issues to leaders' attention, and the questions themselves often serve to educate the decision-makers.
IMBA has created this candidate questionnaire on mountain biking and public lands recreation to help your local or regional group connect with soon-to-be elected officials. This questionnaire is crafted as a generic document, so please modify it to reflect your local issues. The generic character makes this suitable for almost any election, be it a city or town, a county or township, a state or provincial legislature, or the Congress or Parliament. Many issues facing mountain biking are similar at all levels.
Please use it as your club's questionnaire, rather than presenting it as an IMBA document. It's usually better to have such questions come from constituents, rather than from an umbrella interest group that may be based out of state.
We have provided many more sample questions than you should use. Pick and choose the most important ones related to your area. Keep your questions simple and short to increase the likelihood that candidates will answer. If the questions are too lengthy and too complicated, you won't get a response.
Many organizations are wary of endorsing candidates - and rightfully so. What if the other person wins? How would you work with them after the election? Also, if your group has U.S. 501(c)3 tax exempt status the IRS strictly prohibits your group from making endorsements.
Nevertheless, a questionnaire is not an endorsement, provided that you distribute it to each candidate and treat the candidates equally. You can publicize the answers in your newsletter or in the media. Just be sure to be fair and balanced.
It's better to send this questionnaire early in an election cycle. Give the candidates time to consider and answer the questions. You may also want to invite them to a candidates' forum, and this document could help them to prepare.
Candidates' Questionnaire About Mountain Bicycling:
(Insert Date)
Dear ____________:
Mountain biking is one of the most popular U.S. sports with 43.1 million participants in 2002 (Outdoor Industry Association). Cycling is a low impact, human powered, silent way to experience the outdoors and help combat our nation's trend toward obesity.
The (local club names or state associations) and its individual members throughout ______ (place) would like to know your position on several key issues. We plan to distribute this information (in our member newsletter, online, and/ or send it to the news media).
We (will/will not) endorse a candidate in this election.
(Tell them more about your club and your work. For example the number of club members, trail systems where you patrol or conduct maintenance, programs that encourage cycling and combat obesity, annual number of volunteer work hours, festivals or races that bring revenue to the community, programs that get kids on bikes, and so on.)
Our club is affiliated with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). IMBA has 32,000 individual supporters, and 500 clubs in all 50 states. IMBA members collectively conduct almost one million hours of volunteer trailwork annually. We generally work on shared-use trails - trails for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.
IMBA has formal partnership agreements with the U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance branch. Our club works to implement IMBA's national partnerships and programs at the local level.
On behalf of _____________, (group name(s)) we request your consideration and response to the following:
1. TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTEREST AND EXPERIENCE IN BICYLING
Background: Let our club members get to know you a bit better by telling us about yourself and your bicycling experience. If you don't ride, what else do you like to do outside? Feel free to mention hobbies.
Question: Do you ride a bike, either on road or off? What bike/s do you ride?
2. FEDERAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM
(Applicable to Congressional Candidates Only)
Background: The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a small part of the transportation bill currently being considered by Congress (TEA-21 reauthorization). RTP has helped communities build and repair thousands of miles of trails involving 6,700 projects in all 50 states. In the 10-year history of the program, more than $330 million has been distributed. For every federal dollar invested in the program, communities have leveraged more than an additional dollar by rallying local and state governments, outdoor enthusiasts and community leaders in support of trail projects. The House passed an RTP appropriation of $503 million; the Senate passed an appropriation of $360 million. IMBA supports the House version of $503 million over the course of the six-year bill (an increase from $260 million in TEA-21). .
Question: Do you support funding the RTP at $503 million over the course of the six-year bill?
Yes ______ No ______ Other comment:
3. ACCESS TO NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILS
(Congressional, State and Local Candidates)
Background: Congress has designated eight National Scenic Trails (Appalachian, Continental Divide, Florida, Ice Age, Natchez Trace, North Country, Pacific Crest and Potomac Heritage). Some of these trails allow bicycling, but some hiking groups say that all National Scenic Trails should be restricted for hiking only. IMBA (and names of local affiliated clubs) do not want access to all sections of all National Scenic Trails, but we believe that these trails can safely and environmentally accommodate a variety of user groups. Further, many of these trails have been built, maintained and ridden by cyclists for years.
NOTE: Customize this question for a local National Scenic Trail that may run through your state or to identify sections that cyclists have help build and ride for years.
Question: Do you think that bicycling should be allowed on some National Scenic Trail sections or should all NST paths be reserved for hiking only?
Allow some bicycling ______ Hiking only ______ Other comment:
4. WILDERNESS AND MOUNTAIN BIKING (Congressional, State and Local Candidates)
Background: The Wilderness issue has been a challenge for mountain bikers since 1984, when the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies imposed a comprehensive bicycle ban on Wilderness trails. While IMBA, which formed four years later, has always been a conservation-minded organization, we're dedicated to preserving appropriate trail access for cyclists. In particular, we face a dilemma when new Wilderness proposals overlap trails that are popular mountain biking rides: we want to protect the land but must maintain access to the trails we love. For proposed Wilderness areas that overlap significant mountain biking trails, we suggest other congressional land protection tools such as corridors, boundary adjustments, and other designations such as national scenic areas, national conservation and national protection areas.
NOTE: Customize this section for proposed Wilderness in your area. Name specific trails and mileage that would be lost through proposed Wilderness designations.
Question Option 1: What is your general position on land protection and Wilderness designations?
Question Option 2: Will you commit to working with local mountain bike clubs before endorsing pending Wilderness bills?
Yes ______ No ______ Other comment:
Question Option 3: Will you work to bring trail user groups together to support land protection legislation that allows for bicycle access?
Yes ______ No ______ Other comment:
5. YOUR PLAN TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY COMBAT OBESITY
Background: More than 65 percent of Americans, and 15 percent of children, are overweight or obese. According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity costs our nation $117 billion annually in medical costs and loss of productivity and will be the leading cause of preventable death in 2005. IMBA believes that mountain biking is part of the solution to this significant health problem.
Question: Tell us about any ideas you have to curb the societal trend toward sedentary lifestyles, particularly those involving outdoor recreation.
6. TRAIL SHARING
Background: (Local club name and/or IMBA) focuses on building and maintaining environmentally sound trails for non-motorized use. We believe that most trails should be shared by hikers, bicyclists and equestrians and that the key to successful trails is careful design, regular maintenance and proactive management. Science shows that the impacts of hiking and bicycling are similar: thus, neither activity should be prioritized based on a justification that it causes less impact.
Question: Do you generally favor or oppose a policy of trail-sharing on public lands?
Favor ______ Oppose ______ Other comment:
7. OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION AND TRAIL DEVELOPMENT
Background: As a result of population growth and the increasing popularity of outdoor recreation, many trails and parks are getting crowded. A good solution for this problem is for governments and non-profit groups to purchase and develop more trails and public land. But the ability of both public and private non-profit organizations to accomplish this goal is severely constrained by lack of funds.
Question Option 1: Do you generally support increases in funding (or establishment of funding) to purchase open space to provide more places for recreation?
Yes ______ No ______ Other comment:
NOTE: Use the following question to describe a local trail system, national forest, or park that is short of trail maintenance funding, staff resources, visitor center or trail signage needs. Bring the issue to their attention and see if they have ideas on how to help.
Question Option 2: Do you support increases in funding for the trails department of the _____________ (name of trails, parks or open space agency)?
Yes ______ No ______ Other comment:
8. RECREATION USER FEES
Background: Increasingly, governments are charging fees for entry and use of trails on public lands. Such programs are often controversial, with some people alleging that land management agencies are not accountable, that the programs disadvantage underprivileged people, and that the government will reduce appropriations to offset any new fee revenues. Meanwhile, the agencies often support more funds and promise to spend the revenues on projects benefiting recreation.
Question Option 1: Do you favor implementation of recreation fees on the public lands? If yes, how would you improve the fee program?
Yes________ No __________ Other comment:
Question Option 2: Do you think that fees should replace appropriations as a method of funding the maintenance of recreation facilities on public lands?
Yes________ No __________ Other comment:
9. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TELL OUR CLUB ABOUT YOUR VIEWS ON BICYCLING RECREATION, EXERCISE, OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
NOTE: Allow them an open-ended question to fill in more about their platform and personal history as it relates to mountain biking and area issues of concern.
If we can help explain any of these questions or provide additional information, please don't hesitate to call or email. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Name of Advocate/Title/Group/Coalition
cc: (Other candidates' names)
International Mountain Bicycling Association
