https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Economy


FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT/Tips on passing a bond referendum

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT/Tips on passing a bond referendum

Local officials are confronted with capital improvement needs - building new schools, repairing aging sewerage treatment plants or expanding the park
  • Written by Matt Zieper
  • 1st August 2000

Local officials are confronted with capital improvement needs – building new schools, repairing aging sewerage treatment plants or expanding the park system – that require passage of bond referenda. Why do some places make it look easy, routinely passing referenda for millions of dollars, while others watch bond proposals get defeated? Although there is no magic to winning bond measures, there are a number of do’s and don’ts that can greatly increase the likelihood of success.

Do start early. Governments should launch bond campaigns at least a year

before the vote. They need time to build well-rounded coalitions, gather information, poll residents, get ballot questions before voters and communicate with the public.

Do build a wide-ranging coalition of support. Winning coalitions call on local leaders, including the business community, nonprofits and neighborhood groups. Representatives of those groups can enhance the government’s public communication, provide insight into polling and assist in fundraising.

Do hit the law books. Organizers should know the exact ballot language requirements,the necessary steps for getting on the ballot and the process for obtaining approval of a ballot question. Finally, the bond should not exceed the limit on the total level of bonding in the city/county.

Do take a history lesson. To understand how potential bond measures may fare, it is important to know how recent fiscal measures – both bonds and tax increases – have done at the ballot box. Obtaining election results of statewide bond measures from the secretary of state’s office can show how each community voted.

Do take polls. Political pollsters can determine what projects voters are interested in; how much they are willing to pay per household; and what messages they find compelling by testing legally permissible sample ballot questions.

Don’t ignore what voters say they want. In some cases, the interests that resonate most strongly with voters diverge from those of the initiators of the bond measure. Winning measures correspond to voters’ highest priorities.

Don’t ask for too much money. It is always better to win a $10 million bond than to lose a $20 million bond. If the polls do not support a big bond, it should not be placed on the ballot.

Don’t bank on a good campaign saving a bad measure. Running a winning campaign is laborious and expensive, considering media buys, printing and grassroots organizing. Campaigns cannot make up for poorly conceived measures that ignore residents’ interests or ask for too much money.

The Safe Neighborhoods Park Act in Dade County (Miami), Fla., illustrates a successful bond measure. In November 1996, 67 percent of Dade County voters approved the $200 million bond for parks and recreation – remarkable in a county where voters had previously rejected several high-profile bond measures.

Nearly two years in the making, the act was the brainchild of a coalition that included local government and parks representatives, senior citizens, and neighborhood and crime-prevention organizations. Public opinion polling highlighted two major voter priorities: reducing crime among juveniles (through recreation) and protecting quality of life by preserving natural areas as open space.

Voters were more likely to support a measure if it had safeguards to ensure the money was properly spent and if the cost per household remained below $8.50 ($200 million total). Dade County’s bond referendum was successful because organizers planned ahead, researched and heeded the poll results.

Tags: Economy

Most Recent


  • Report: 2022's losses negate last year's funding progress for public pensions
    Despite economic hardships brought about by the pandemic, American municipalities and states managed to reduce the funding shortfall of their public pension funds last year. But with looming financial uncertainty and the market turning downward, a new report finds that nearly all of those gains will be erased by the end of the year. “There […]
  • To bring in talent and diversify, Kansas community attracts remote workers with cash incentive
    The modern era of digital nomads and remote workers presents opportunity for local governments as much it’s brought on unforeseen challenges—like the need for high speed connectivity and an evolving economic landscape, as fewer people commute to brick-and-mortar offices. One community in Shawnee County, Kan. has capitalized on the migration, which was set into motion […]
  • Economic report from Pittsburgh provides insight into national recovery
    The latest Consumer Price Index update released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics pegs inflation at a four-decade peak, increasing the economic pressure on communities emerging from two pandemic-fraught years. Year-over-year, prices are up 9.1%, according to the most recent information, representing an 8.6 percent increase from May. At the national level, the […]
  • Federal government launches $1B program to connect cities fractured by historic policy decisions
    Supporting America’s economy is a foundation comprised of roads, railways, bridges and waterways built to create opportunity and connect communities. But due to historical prejudice, some cities and counties are at a disadvantage—like minority neighborhoods cut off during the construction of the state highway system in the 1950s. The United States Department of Transportation announced […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Rethinking the ways cities can invest in vital neighborhoods
  • How to innovate and invest on a budget in state and local IT services
  • Treasury Department launches Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to deliver $350 billion in funding

White papers


2000+ Government Customers Reveal a Roadmap to Fleet Management Success

17th August 2022

Modern American Perspectives on Law Enforcement

14th July 2022

Reimagine the Employee Experience

12th July 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Funding fiber broadband: The path to growing communities dlvr.it/SWsW6f

18th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Traffic fatalities from motor vehicle accidents increased by 7% in the first quarter dlvr.it/SWsJFc

18th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

Biden: Inflation Reduction Act represents ‘one of the most significant laws in our history’ dlvr.it/SWpMDZ

17th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

CRM beyond sales: How government CRM can improve citizen engagement and satisfaction dlvr.it/SWp9lg

17th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

Taking on the heat with tech: Cities create chief heat officers dlvr.it/SWp77d

17th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

2000+ government customers reveal a roadmap to fleet management success dlvr.it/SWng6T

17th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

Here are 12 of America’s most walkable cities with vacancies for renters dlvr.it/SWlBkd

16th August 2022
AmerCityCounty

Amid digitization of public infrastructure, cybersecurity is increasingly a challenge dlvr.it/SWh6Ww

15th August 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X