HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-17-2001-8j~'
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 17, 2001
Action Agenda
Item No. ~^
SUBJECT: Trust for Public Land Assistance with November Bond Referendum
DEPARTMENT: County Manager, ERCD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Scope of Work
Trust for Public Lands services
INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Link, 245-2300
David Stancil, 245-2590
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732181
Chapel Hill 968501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 33fi-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider the assistance of the Trust for Public Land (TPL) with the proposed
November 2001 bond referendum.
BACKGROUND: On February 13, the Board was apprised of the potential for involving the
Trust for Public Land in the education and public awareness campaigns for the proposed
November referendum. The Trust is anon-profit national organization, which provides technical
assistance to local governments considering bond referenda for parks and open space. Most
recently, the Trust assisted Wake County in planning and public awareness for their successful
November 2000 open space bond. The Trust has a Raleigh office that is prepared to assist the
County in whatever role is desired.
The Manager and ERC Director met with the TPL Raleigh representative on March 15 and
agreed on several items for a scope of work. In general, the scope of work would have the Trust
prepare a telephone survey on potential bond questions, assist in preparing bond ballot
language, and provide technical expertise in direct mailings for bond education. A general
scope of work and description of TPC services is attached.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no cost associated with TPL's involvement in this bond
campaign. There will be a cost for the survey work to be accomplished by a selected vendor.
TPL has experience with a number of firms that do bond survey work and will be glad to
recommend a firm. The cost of the survey is estimated to be $15,000.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider the involvement
of the Trust for Public Lands in bond education efforts, and approve the scope of work with any
changes desired by the Board.
Proposed Scope of Work
Trust for Public Lands -November 2001 Bond Referenda
1. Develop a 20-minute telephone survey on the proposed bond, and recommend a survey firm
with expertise in the field. The survey would address all bond questions, and the proposed
survey sample is 400 citizens.
2. Provide assistance to the County in developing ballot language for the November bond.
3. Provide technical assistance in design and language of bond education direct mailings.
4. Provide other assistance as needed or desired.
3
CONSERVATION FINANCE
Creating Public Funding for Parks and Conservation
Technical Assistance Services
The Trust for Public Land's Conservation Finance Program provides professional technical
assistance services to state and local government executives, legislatures, and public agencies to
identify and secure public financing. TPL works to obtain funds at all levels of government,
including: the U.S. Congress and other federal sources, state legislatures for special bonds and
spending measures, and city councils, county commissions, and town meetings.
Over the past several years, TPL's conservation finance work has expanded to include the
development of lazge-scale funding measures that enable public agencies to carry out long-term
land protection programs, often including related pazk and recreation or growth management
initiatives. In the past 5 years, TPL has helped generate more than $27 billion to protect special
places nationwide for pazks, greenways, recreation azeas, historic landmarks, forests, watersheds,
and wilderness.
TPL's pragmatic approach to funding land conservation focuses on the research and
development of legislative and ballot measures that reflect popular priorities, often evaluated
through public opinion surveys. Costs aze covered by government consulting contracts, local
philanthropy, and national grants. TPL often brings partners such as local business councils or
national conservation organizations that can pool resources.
TPL's technical assistance services include:
Feasibility Research to assess pazk and conservation priorities; fiscal capacity; finance
options; election history; and best practices.
Public Opinion Surveys to determine the potential level of support for public financing
of parks and open space. Specifically, TPL offers assistance in issue identification; pollster
selection; questionnaire design; sample design; analysis; and presentation.
Program Recommendations covering funding mechanism; amount; duration;
expenditure priorities; and accountability.
Ballot Measure Design to meet legal requirements; attract public and political support;
and reflect populaz priorities.
Legislative Support from bill drafting to expert testimony.
t M t
TRUST
K
FUBLI(:
L'.~ N 17 Conservation Finance Program 33 Union Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02108, (617) 367-6200
Natiopal Office 116 New Montgomery Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, 1-800-714-LAND, www.tpl.org
4
CONSERVATION FINANCE
Creating Public Funding for Parks and Conservation
Campaign Services
In addition to technical assistance services, in some cases The Trust far Public Land assists
citizen groups with campaigns to win voter approval of land conservation measures. TPL has a
strong track record in managing public. finance campaigns, providing expert assistance with
polling, developing political strategies, conducting outreach and building coalitions.
In May 2000, TPL created a separate lobbying affiliate organization, The Conservation
Campaign to mobilize public support for government financing to protect land or water
resources. The Conservation Campaign is a nonprofit organization that advocates the creation
and preservation of parks and other protected lands across the United States through bond issues,
referenda, legislation or other means.
In preparation for the November 2000 elections, TPL and The Conservation Campaign worked
on fifty-four state and local ballot measures in twenty-one states. Seventy-two percent (39) of
these measures were approved by voters, generating approximately $3.3 billiori.
Campaign services offered by TPL-and the Conservation Campaign include:
• design and analysis of campaign polls
• strategic political planning
• campaign management
hiring media professionals
• design and trafficking of direct mail
• public education
• getting out the vote
„ -
T ItiT
F' K
PUBLIC
L A N >? .Conservation Finance Program 33 Union Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02108, (617) 367-6200
National Ofnce 116 New Montgomery Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, 1-800-714-LAND, www.tpl.org
S
TPL/LAF November 7, 2000 Ballot Measures
Fiscal
St Jurisdiction Total Funds Yes/No%
Technique
CA Davis H'hold fee 17.5 million 70/30
CO Evergreen PD G.O. band 3.5 million 72/28
FL Broward County G.O. bond 400 million 74/26
Leon County Sales tax 728 millian 60/40
GA Gwinnett County Sales tax 750 million 55/45
IL Madison County Sales tax 28 million 51/49
St. Clair County Sales tax 32 million 62/38
MA Dover G.O. bond 3.5 million 76/24
ME Scarborough G.O. bond -1.5 million 75!25
MN Blaine G.O. bond 3.5 million 54/4fi
MO Columbia Sales tax 17 million 54/46
St. Charles County Sales tax 60 millian 57/43
St. Louis Sales tax 72 million 77/23
St. Louis County Sales tax 280 million 70/30
MT Gallatin County G.O. bond 10 million 61139
NC Wake County G.O. bond 15 million 77/23
NJ Brick Township Property tax 8 million 7G/24
Dover Township Property tax 18 million 77/29
Sussex County Property tax 16 million 73/27
NM Bernalillo County Property tax 25 million 68/32
Santa Fe County G.O. bond 8 million 69/31
NV Washoe County G.O. band 38.3 million 54/46
NY Bedford Property tax 6.5 million 68/32
Clarkstown G.O. bond 22 million 55/45
Irvington G.O. bond 3 million 83/17
Lewisboro G.O. bond 2 millian 79/21
No. Hempstead G.O. bond 15 million 71/29
Na. Salem G.O. bond 2 million 71!29
Oyster Bay G.O. bond 30 million fi8/32
Pound Ridge Property tax 3 million 53/47
Somers G.O. bond 2 million 59/41
Yorktown, Property tax 4 million 65/35
OH Parma G.O. bond 3 millian fi1/39
Ohio - Bond amndmt 400 millian 57/43
OR Corvallis G.O. bond 7.9 millian fi5l35
RI Rhode Island G.O. bond 34 millian 75/25
SC Beaufort County G.O. band 40 million 73/27
VT Burlington Advisory only 76/24
WA Seattle Property tax 198.2 million 56/44
39 MEASURES in 21 STATES /TOTAL ESTIMATED FUNDS = 53.3 BILLION