Winning Land Conservation Ballot Measures Will Abberger October 22, 2009

2. Winning Land Conservation Ballot Measures Will Abberger October 22, 2009

3. Winning Land Conservation Ballot Measures • National Trends in Land Conservation • Ballot Measure Basics • Measure Components • Case Study: Davie, FL National Trends in Land Conservation

4. Where Does Public Funding for Land Conservation Come From?

5. Public Land Conservation Funding in the United States (1998 – 2005) Total Annual Avg. Share Local $16 billion $2 billion 67% State $6.75 billion $844m 28% Federal $1.02 billion $128m 4% Total $23.77 billion $2.97 billion State and federal = actual spending Local = spending authorizations Source: TPL Conservation Almanac, TPL LandVote Database

6. State and Local Ballot Measures2004–2008 2008 2004 2005 2006 2007 • 218 measures • 163 measures passed (75%) • $4.1 billion created • 141 measures • 111 measures passed (79%) • $1.7 billion created • 183 measures • 136 measures passed (74%) • $6.7 billion created • 99 measures • 65 measures passed (66%) • $1.95 billion created • 126 measures • 89 measures passed (71%) • $8.4 billion created

7. Land Conservation Ballot Measures 1998 - 2008

8. Trails Ballot Measures – 2006

9. Trails Ballot Measures – 2007

10. Trails Ballot Measures – 2008

11. Trails Ballot Measures – 2009

12. South Carolina Ballot Measures

13. www.landvote.org

14. The Trust for Public Land: 83% of Measures Passed $32 billion

15. Winning Land Conservation Ballot Measures • National Trends • Ballot Measure Basics • Measure Components • Case Study: Davie, FL Ballot Measure Basics

16. Key Variables In Measure Design • Funding Mechanism • Amount • Purposes/Uses of Funds • Timing (choice of election date) • Management/Accountability

17. Winning Land Conservation Ballot Measures • National Trends • Ballot Measure Basics • Measure Components • Case Study: Davie, FL Measure Components

18. Critical Steps for a Successful Ballot Measure Step 1 Feasibility Research Step 2 Public Opinion Survey Step 3 Measure Design Step 4 Ballot Language Step 5 Campaign

19. Step 1 – Feasibility Research Conservation priorities Finance options Fiscal capacity Political profile Election history Election requirements Ballot language requirements Opposition analysis Best practices

20. Step 2 – Public Opinion Survey • Methodology: random, sample, voters • Why poll? • reality test • perspective • messages and messengers • Polling goals • affordable proposal • compelling purposes • accountability provisions

21. Step 3 – Program Recommendations Funding Source Amount (and duration) Purposes/Uses of Funds Timing (choice of election date) Management/Accountability

22. Step 4 – Ballot Language Legal Constraints Best Practices Integrate Survey Findings Negotiate with public attorney, bond counsel Interpretation/ballot pamphlet arguments

23. Step 5 – Campaign Coalition building Strategy/campaign plan Campaign committee Campaign finance registration and reporting Fund raising Endorsements Communications (media) • Earned media • Paid media (TV, radio, direct mail) • Social media • Phones Grassroots/Field (GOTV)

24. Critical Steps for a Successful Ballot Measure Step 1 Feasibility Research Step 2 Public Opinion Survey Step 3 Measure Design Step 4 Ballot Language Step 5 Campaign

25. Case Study: Davie, Florida

26. Feasibility Report

27. Poll Results: Ballot Tests To continue to acquire and improve lands to preserve natural areas and wildlife habitat, protect parks, and complete the hiking, biking, walking, and equestrian trail system, shall the Town of Davie be authorized to issue general obligation bonds maturing not later than 20 years at interest rates not exceeding the legal maximum in an amount not exceeding $25 million payable from ad valorem taxes not exceeding 0.38 mill. If the election were held today, would you vote . . . UninformedInformed Definitely For the Bonds 22% 29% Probably For the Bonds 50% FOR - 72% 49% FOR - 78% Probably Against the Bonds 13% AGAINST - 19% 11% AGAINST- 18% Definitely Against the Bonds 6% 7% Undecided 7% 3% March 28-29, 2005 survey by The Kitchens Group, 500 Davie registered voters, margin of error +/- 4.4 percent

28. Poll Results: Uses for Funds

29. Ballot Language BOND REFERENDUM FOR PRESERVATION, PROTECTION OF WATER QUALITY, PARKS, TRAILS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND NATURAL AREAS To protect natural areas from over-development, preserve and improve wildlife habitat, parks, and water quality of water bodies, complete the recreational trails system, and with funds distributed evenly, shall the Town of Davie be authorized to issue general obligation bonds maturing no later than 20 years at interest rates not exceeding the legal maximum in an amount not exceeding $25,000,000 payable from ad valorem taxes not exceeding 0.38 mil, subject to annual public audit? FOR BONDS AGAINST BONDS

30. Davie Key Dates March 5 Feasibility study March 28 Public opinion survey April 20 Town Council refers measure to ballot August 24-29 ID phone calls August 25 Hurricane Katrina September 7 First mail piece dropped September 9 Ballots Mailed September 22 Last mail piece drops September 24-25 GOVT phones September 29 Election Day (ballot received by SOE)

31. First Direct Mail Piece

32. Second Mail Piece

33. Third Mail Piece

34. 4th Mail Piece

35. Davie Election Results YES – 60.49% (4,127) NO – 39.51% (2,696) Turnout = 13.2% (6,836 votes cast out of 51,773 total registered voters)

36. 2008 Voter Support for Commonly Tested Purposes

37. Conserving Land for People The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. TPL Mission Statement Over 350 staff working in 40 offices

38. Conservation Finance Conservation Transactions Conservation Research & Education Conservation Vision

39. Conservation Vision Setting Priorities TPL helps agencies and communities define conservation priorities, identify lands to be protected, and plan networks of conserved land that meet public need.

40. Conservation FinanceSecuring Funds TPL’s Conservation Finance team advises state and local governments on conservation funding and helps to design and adopt measures that dedicate new public funds for parks and land conservation.

41. Conservation Transactions Protecting Land TPL helps structure, negotiate, and complete land transactions that create parks, playgrounds, and protected natural areas.

42. TPL’s Conservation Results • Vision: 50 Greenprints completed • Finance: - 421 state and local ballot measures passed - 83% passage rate - $32 billion in new public funding created • Transactions: - 4,458 projects completed in 46 states - 2.5 million acres protected - Fair market value of $5.6 billion