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 "COWS DON'T GO TO SCHOOL!" OR RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL OPEN SPACE CAMPAIGN To open space advocates, the need for public funding may appear so compelling and obvious that they expect a referendum on open space taxes or bonds to sell itself. While it is true that voters nationwide are approving open space referenda in increasing numbers, referendum organizers cannot afford to be complacent. Many referenda fail. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to improve the chances of success. How to run a successful open space campaign? • Leave enough time • Create an advisory committee • Staff the campaign • Learn what voters want • Focus on fundraising • Create a compelling message • Look at case studies Adapted and excerpted from the forthcoming publication, Public Finance for Open Space: A Guide for Pennsylvania's Municipalities, Heritage Conservancy. Copyright © 2003 PA DCNR, all rights reserved.   Perhaps the most important key to a successful campaign is time. Proponents should launch open space campaigns well in advance of the vote. They need time to build well-rounded coalitions, gather information, poll residents, get measures on the ballot, and communicate with the public. ( See a recommended campaign timeline. ) Back to the top.  Early in the campaign, and well before the specifics have been developed, a broad-based coalition of supporting organizations should be formed. The committee should include a wide array of representatives from the public and private sectors. These individuals will help with fundraising, strategy, and endorsements. Interests represented by members should include: Back to the top.   Whether paid professionals or volunteers, campaigns require staff in addition to the advisory committee members noted above. Depending on the resources available, a campaign could be run by a paid campaign manager, the township EAC or Open Space Committee, or a group of volunteers. Often it will be a mix of both. Local land trusts may be able to provide valuable assistance as consultants. Other important positions include fundraising/finance coordinator, treasurer, press secretary, and volunteer coordinator. ( Learn more about organizing your campaign. ) Officials in the municipality may legitimately endorse the referendum and help to educate the public on the issues, and townships frequently use public funds to pay consultants for technical advice. But the line between legitimate research/education activities and partisan advocacy can be a blurry one. The improper use of taxpayer resources, including the salaried time of public officials and employees, to influence the outcome of a referendum campaign may open the campaign to attack by the referendum's opponents. When in doubt, consult with legal counsel or the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission. Back to the top.  The most critical step in the referendum process is finding out what the voters want. Whenever possible, referendum organizers should conduct: This process helps proponents decide if the time is right to seek public funding and, if so, what size and type of measure voters will accept. The following questions need to be discussed, debated, and answered by campaign strategists at the outset: • What are realistic acreage protection goals? • How much would this cost to implement? • What open space financing mechanisms are available? • How much revenue would each option generate? • What would each option cost residents and businesses in the community? • How would properties be selected for protection? • Who would administer the land protection program and monitor the properties? • Would land acquisition be through outright purchase or mainly through conservation easements? • What is the track record of previous fiscal and environmental referenda? If the municipality already has an adopted open space plan, this naturally will guide the protection goals. If there is no open space plan in place, determine whether one will be required or not under Pennsylvania's Act 153. (As noted in the previous LandSavers webcast discussion on open space financing, Act 153 requires municipalities to adopt open space plans if they will be relying on that law to authorize debt or earned income taxes above set limits.) Even if an open space plan is not required pursuant to Act 153, determine whether it makes sense, from a public comfort perspective, to wait until a plan is in place to pursue funding. Every detail of the land protection program does not need to be nailed down at this point, but the outlines of the program should be developed as much as possible to anticipate questions by voters and possible opponents of the measure. A well-designed and well-executed public opinion poll can help local leaders in several ways. First, a poll can help in the design of a measure that reflects public conservation priorities. Perhaps "preventing urban sprawl" is the top priority among voters 40 and under, whereas "preserving a legacy of land for children" scores highest for voters 60 and older. This information will help to guide the creation and delivery of targeted messages. By including questions about potential supporters of the measure, polling data can also guide the selection of partners and campaign spokespersons. Second, a poll can reveal how much voters will spend. A successful $3 million measure obviously will protect more land than a losing $8 million one. That is why it is essential to determine the level of taxation or debt that voters are willing to approve before the measure is placed on the ballot. Polling can help to determine the best time to seek voter support. Determining the best timing involves a number of considerations including turnout projections, competing measures, and open political seats, not to mention the costs, particularly for a special election. Choices are often between low turnout elections that may not bring out enough supporters and general elections where the measure could be dragged down by too many other competing spending measures on the ballot. A pollster is responsible for designing poll questions, selecting the sample, conducting the survey, and interpreting results. Keep in mind that a poll is only as good as the investment that is made in it. Prices for conducting a poll (which can cost $10,000 and up for a short telephone survey) can vary considerably depending on the consultant, the size of the sample, and the length of the questionnaire. If there is only one poll planned, experts recommend testing at least 400 people to get any meaningful subset information. ( Learn more about selecting a pollster. ) If the price of a professional poll overwhelms your fundraising capacity, it may be possible to get a local university's public policy program to conduct a poll as a project for students. The drawback of this option is that the university's timetable and goals for the poll may not mesh well with those of the campaign. Campaign organizers can also conduct an informal poll, for example by setting up a table at a local supermarket or at a community festival. Such an approach will, at the minimum, allow a rough sense of public opinion, but be forewarned that such an unscientific approach leaves the door open to criticism from opponents of the campaign who may contest the validity of your results. Back to the top. |
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