Presentation on Polling Results and Direction to Staff on November 2008 Ballot Measure

1. Presentation on Polling Results and Direction to Staff on November 2008 Ballot Measure July 7, 2008

2. Presentation Overview • Review of June 2008 polling results • Discussion of LEED Gold building standards and additional design costs • Review of potential operating/maintenance costs • Council discussion and action

4. Methodology • 600 telephone interviews with Palo Alto voters likely to cast ballots in the November 2008 general election • Interviews conducted between June 12-23, 2008 • Margin of sampling error of +/- 4.0% • Selected comparisons to results from February 2007 survey

5. Key Findings • A solid majority of voters continue to view the City as an excellent place to live and feel the City is doing a good job of providing services to local residents. • A significant number of voters are concerned about the economy and the management of the City’s finances. • Voters use the City’s libraries regularly, and perceive them as having at least some need for improvements. • In this context, though the library bond has solid support from a majority of voters, it falls just short of receiving the required two-thirds supermajority. • While the measure can succeed, additional information about why this approach has been chosen to meet the libraries’ needs will be necessary to increase voters’ understanding.

6. Issue Context and Mood of the Electorate

7. Voters continue to have an overwhelmingly positive view of Palo Alto’s quality of life. June 2008 February 2007 Total Excellent/Good 93% Total Excellent/Good 96% Total Just Fair/Poor 4% Total Just Fair/Poor 7% 2. Generally speaking, how would you rate the City of Palo Alto as a place to live: is it an excellent place to live, a good place to live, only fair, or a poor place to live?

8. Voters have mixed views of the economy. I am going to read you a list of different aspects of life in Palo Alto. Please tell me if you expect that item to be better or worse twelve months from now. 9. I am going to read you a list of different aspects of life in Palo Alto. Please tell me if you expect that item to be better or worse twelve months from now.

9. Voters like the City’s service delivery, but question its financial management. Providing City Services Managing City Funds Total Excellent/Good 72% Total Excellent/Good 34% Total Just Fair/Poor 26% Total Just Fair/Poor 44% 10. How would you rate the overall job being done by Palo Alto city government in providing services to the City’s residents? 11. How would you rate the job being done by Palo Alto City officials in managing City funds?

10. Most voters have visited the Main Library or Mitchell Park within the last year. Which of the following Palo Alto public libraries have you visited in the past year? 17. Which of the following Palo Alto public libraries have you visited within the past year?

11. Two-thirds of voters continue to see at least “some” need for additional library funding. 3. I am going to read a short list of public services in the city of Palo Alto. Please tell me if you think it has a great need for additional funding, some need, a little need or no real need for additional funding.

12. Initial Support for a LibraryBond Measure

13. Language Used to Test Bond Measure Support • PALO ALTO LIBRARY IMPROVEMENT BOND. • To complete improvements to all branch libraries in the City of Palo Alto by: • replacing the existing Mitchell Park Library and community center; • upgrading and expanding the Main Library; • renovating the Downtown Library; • expanding reading areas and facilities for children; and • providing room for larger collections and improved information technology; • shall the City of Palo Alto issue $75 million in general obligation bonds, subject to independent audits and citizen oversight?

14. Voters support the measure by a two-to-one margin, but it falls short of a two-thirds majority. TOTALYES63% TOTALNO 25% 4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of this potential ballot measure or no to oppose it?

15. A general desire for library improvements underlies voter support. (Open-ended; Top responses only; Asked only of “yes” voters) 5a. In a few words of your own, why would you vote YES on this ballot measure?

16. “No” voters express concerns about theeconomy and the potential cost impact. (Open-ended; Top responses only; Asked only of “no” voters) 5b. In a few words of your own, why would you vote NO on this ballot measure?

17. A lower-cost measure excluding improvements to the Downtown branch receives less support. $71 Million Bond without Downtown $75 Million Bond TOTALYES63% TOTALYES53% TOTALNO 25% TOTALNO 31% 4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of this potential ballot measure or no to oppose it?6. If that were the case, would you vote yes in favor of the bond measure or no to oppose it?

18. Support drops slightly when voters hear the potential cost impact. $25 per $100,000 of Assessed Value $123 For Median Home TOTALYES58% TOTALYES58% TOTALNO 32% TOTALNO 33% 7/8. If that were the case, would you vote yes in favor of the bond measure or no to oppose it?

19. Ensuring that libraries meet earthquake safety standards stands out as a top priority. (Ranked by Total Extremely/Very Important) 12. I am going to read you a list of specific projects that could be funded by the library and community center bond measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that the project be funded: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important. Split Sample

20. Continued 12. I am going to read you a list of specific projects that could be funded by the library and community center bond measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that the project be funded: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important. Split Sample

21. Continued 12. I am going to read you a list of specific projects that could be funded by the library and community center bond measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that the project be funded: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important. Split Sample

22. Continued 12. I am going to read you a list of specific projects that could be funded by the library and community center bond measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that the project be funded: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important. Split Sample

23. Continued 12. I am going to read you a list of specific projects that could be funded by the library and community center bond measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that the project be funded: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important. Split Sample

24. Messages highlighting current problems at the library offer the most compelling reasons to vote “yes.” (Ranked by Very Convincing) 80% 79% 75% 72% 13. Here are some statements from people who support this potential library bond measure. Please tell me whether you find it very convincing, somewhat convincing, or not convincing as a reason to vote yes on the measure. *Split Sample

25. Continued 70% 73% 71% 71% 68% 13. Here are some statements from people who support this potential library bond measure. Please tell me whether you find it very convincing, somewhat convincing, or not convincing as a reason to vote yes on the measure. *Split Sample

26. Support falls just short of two-thirds after the messages. Initial Vote Vote After Positive Arguments TOTALYES63% TOTALYES66% TOTALNO 25% TOTALNO 27% 4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of this potential ballot measure or no to oppose it?14. Would you vote yes in favor or no to oppose the $75 million bond measure to fund improvements to Palo Alto libraries, including Mitchell Park, Main, and Downtown?

27. Negative messages are less compelling, but several resonate with voters. (Ranked by Very Convincing) 58% 57% 53% 15. Here are some statements from people who oppose this library bond measure. Please tell me whether you find it very convincing, somewhat convincing, or not convincing as a reason to vote no on the measure. *Split Sample

28. Continued 51% 40% 45% 15. Here are some statements from people who oppose this library bond measure. Please tell me whether you find it very convincing, somewhat convincing, or not convincing as a reason to vote no on the measure. *Split Sample

29. Overall, the messages have little impact on support. 4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of this potential ballot measure or no to oppose it?14/16. Would you vote yes in favor or no to oppose the $75 million bond measure to fund improvements to Palo Alto libraries, including Mitchell Park, Main, and Downtown?

30. Conclusions • Voters continue to use Palo Alto libraries regularly and value them highly; at the same time, they do not view the libraries’ needs as particularly urgent. • There is a broad and solid base of support for a library bond. • However, roughly one-third of voters remain resistant to supporting such a measure. • The community will need additional information about the urgency of the library’s needs – and how a bond measure would be structured to address them – before two-thirds of local voters are likely to cast a vote in favor of such a measure.

31. Project Design Costs and LEED Gold Building Standards

32. Libraries (Mitchell, Main, and Downtown) & Community Center Cost Update: May 2008

33. Libraries (Mitchell, Main, and Downtown) & Community Center Cost Update: May 2008

34. HVAC System Upgrade Night Sky Radiant Cooling Solar Domestic Hot Water System Construction subtotal Development costs & contingencies Escalation (8% for 3 years) Total (rounded) Annual Maintenance Costs Payback on incremental improvements $660 $95 $45 $800 $280 $220 $1,300 $42 14 years LEED Gold items(incremental cost increase over LEED Silver) Dollar amounts given in thousands

35. Potential Operating and Maintenance Costs for Library/Community Center Facilities

36. Components of Operating/Maintenance Costs • Custodial/maintenance costs • Utility costs • Library collection maintenance • Furniture and computer replacement • Additional library, community center and facility maintenance staffing (up to 5 full time positions) The estimated annual cost for these items could range between $750,000 - $1.1 million pending further evaluation and analysis.

37. Council Action This Evening • Should the City proceed with a library/community center bond measure on the November 2008 ballot? If so, should the bond measure include all 3 elements discussed previously (Mitchell Park library/community center, Main and Downtown libraries)? • Should the City pursue LEED Gold building standards for the new Mitchell Park library/ community center? • Should the City include design costs spent to date ($1.5 million) on the library/community center projects in the bond measure?

38. Council Questions/Public Comment