SPECIAL FOCUSCitizens and ReferendumsWaukegan's "Save Our Parks" citizen committee was one of three components in the park district's successful '97 benefits-based referendum campaign Referendum. Now that word can be scary. It represents an opportunity, but at the same time it can be a threat. Nevertheless, the outcome of a referendum initiative is a measurement of how the public feels about a certain proposal. On November 4, 1997, the word "referendum" became an opportunity for the Waukegan Park District. It was then that the public overwhelmingly passed the park district's initiative that consisted of a $0.25 corporate rate increase. The proposition was necessary because of the legislative revisions to the original 1991 tax cap. In 1995, Senate Bill 368 created an inequitable situation for the Waukegan Park District, as well as other districts. Park districts that were fiscally conservative and did not have any outstanding long-term debt were penalized. Under the new tax cap formula, it was possible to operate within the 5 percent cap; however, Senate Bill 368 effectively eliminated the debt service portion of the Waukegan Park District budget because the district did not have any outstanding debt. According to the formula, whatever debt the district had in its 1991 extension, that served as the basis for future years. Although the future of the district was threatened by the tax cap and loss of funding, an opportunity did exist to initiate a proposal. The outcome would determine if our park district would die a slow death or thrive into the next millennium.
The journey that lead to a successful passage of the referendum was stressful, rewarding, and one filled with many lessons. Several of these lessons are shared in this article for the benefit of others. They are categorized in the following three components:
Once you truly demonstrate through analysis and evaluation of your services, then propose the referendum question. We believe that to initiate the question on the ballot and then explain the "why" would be a formula for failure. Successful referendums have a rational and demonstrable outcome that is sellable right from the beginning. Using referendums as trial balloons and hopefully getting lucky are possible, but long shots. Waukegan's board of commissioners were reluctant to propose the idea of a referendum to the public. Conversely, they felt more comfortable that the public initiate the idea of a tax rate increase. To facilitate this direction, the staff of the Waukegan Park District created the "Community Parks and Recreation Development Strategy." Essentially, this approach examined our past, present and future.
The Past Urban recreation had its roots in Waukegan with Jane Addams of the Hull House operating a summer camp in Bowen Parkour most notable parkfor children from Chicago. Children were brought from blighted urban areas of Chicago into a structured recreational environment that would teach them lifelong leisure pursuits.
The Present
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Following the encouragement and recommendation of the public attending the meetings the board of commissioners resolved to present the public referendum question. After much discussion, consensus was reached to present a referendum to increase the corporate by $0.25. It was estimated that a taxpayer would be paying an additional $75 for every $ 100,000 of assessed valuation. The tax rate was projected to increase from $0.30 to $0.55.
Increasing the corporate rate would gather the most money and provide the greatest financial flexibility in the future. Thus the energy for this initiative came from the public, not from the governmental agency staff and/ or commissioners. Therefore, the presentations and public meetings were a tremendous way to gather public sentiment about the future of the park district and set the stage for support of the referendum.
Coalitions Are Needed to Support the Issue
After the board adopted a resolution to submit a proposal to levy an additional tax for corporate purposes, a call for volunteers was requested to work on a committee to organize the selling of the referendum.
We determined that someone from the community who was a prominent person, with no political baggage, was needed to head the effort. There was only one person who could fit that mold. Mr. Robert Morrison is a well-liked and respected businessman in the community who was not politically active. When asked to serve as chairperson of the committee, he gracefully accepted under one condition: that his longtime boyhood friend, John Delia Valle, serve with him as co-chair. Delia Valle is a retired police chief, politically active and well-known in the community. Morrison contended that the committee chairs should reflect the diversity and style of the community. Morrison style would reflect the white collar "north side" residents, and Delia Valle would relate to the blue collar voters.
The first meeting called brought together a select gathering of people who developed a committee an political strategy. "The Committee To Save Our Parks" was created with a group representing Mary Ellen Vanderventer, the mayor's daughter and Lake County Recorder of Deeds; Chris Hensley, a legislative aide to Representative Corinne Wood; park district commissioners; Greg Petry, executive director; Dan Drew, superintendent of finance and administration; Pat Dutcher, local accountant who served as the treasurer of the committee; Larry McShane, chair of the Waukegan Democratic Party; Bob Sabonjian and Anita Hanna rounded out the group as citizen members. The committees first meeting was held in July, then in August we began to meet every Thursday for lunch to strategize.
An outline of activities was created and put into a time line. A budget was also created, with $ 12,000 raised to support the committee s activities. The fund-raising effort targeted the "yes" voters and selected business entities. Funds raised supported the telephone survey, printing and postage.
Campaign Strategy
After much debate and discussion, the committee decided that the most effective strategy would be a low-profile campaign that focused on getting out the "yes" vote. The effort was to be as grassroots as possible and involve those who would be most likely to "benefit from or support" park district activities.
In determining our strategy, we first looked at voting trends in the past November local school district elections. Votes cast in 1883 totaled 5,001, while in 1995 the number had dropped to 2,850. We speculated that 4,000 votes would be cast in the 1997 election. Therefore, we needed to identify 2,001 "yes" votes. Our entire strategy then evolved and was based on the premise: we need 2001 "yes" votes! The following tactics were used to support the campaign strategy.
Database of "Yes" Voters
A database was created that identified and logged potential "yes" voters. The initial list contained park district patrons, volunteers, affiliate groups and users of the park district programs and services.
Telephone Survey
A telephone survey was conducted by Cherry Communications ofTallahassee, FL, to identify both positive and negative attitudes regarding the district and the upcoming referendum. The telephone survey utilized a database of families who voted in the last three local elections. The results of the survey provided a list of:
people who highly regarded the park district; people for the referendum; people against the referendum; people undecided, but wanted more information; and, people who refused to answer.
We continued to cultivate, but not antagonize
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Public Presentations
The public presentations were carefully thought out and orchestrated. The executive director of the district and a co-chair did all of the public speaking. The committee felt that presentations should be made to groups associated with the district such as the sports affiliates and grassroots community groups. Public agencies were not approached to support the referendum because there could be some negative concerns publicly voiced that would have fed the media frenzy.
At the gathering, the executive director focused on facts and figures about the need for a referendum. Then the chair gave an emotional "from the heart" as a longtime resident and park user asking for support. Everyone in attendance received materials offering background and benefits of the referendum.
Flyers
The first flyer highlighted the benefits of parks and recreation. It also described the new direction the district was taking utilizing a benefits/outcome based philosophy, recapped the Parks and Recreation Community development Strategy, and reiterated the necessity for the referendum. The overall theme was that the referendum was important to our future and that of our children and families. The flyer was purely factual.
The second flyer, which outlined the necessity of the referendum, sought financial and volunteer support and was produced by the Committee to Save Our Parks. The flyer was personalized by the committee chairs and mailed out to identified "yes" voters.
Handbills
Handbills were created and distributed to identified "yes" voters and special interest groups. These handbills, produced by the Committee to Save Our Parks, highlighted the need to support the referendum. They also described how a family would benefit and what the consequences would be if the referendum failed. A slogan "Our Parks...Lets Save 'Em Waukegan!" was highlighted on each piece. These were distributed four weeks prior to the election.
Friends Cards
Standard-size postcards were distributed throughout the community, communicating personal messages to "please get out and vote yes." These cards were given to persons who were supporting of the referendum to address to friends, and if they wish make a personal note seeking their support. About 3,500 cards were mailed out the Friday prior to the election.
Personal Letter from the Alderman
Several members of the Waukegan City Council participated in a personal mailing. They signed a letter prepared by the Committee highlighting their support of the referendum. This mailing also included the benefits flyer highlighting the necessity of the referendum. These were mailed one week before the election.
It should be noted that mailings were sent first class because of the specific timing of pieces. Also, once the ballots were created and the county released the referendum "punch number," that number was utilized extensively throughout the rest of the campaign. The slogan, "Punch #122 on Tuesday, November 4th," was used repeatedly on all promotional materials.
Phone Calls
Five days prior to the election, phone calls were made to identified undecided voters. They were asked how they were going to vote. If they were a "yes" vote, their name was placed in the database. If they were a "no" vote, we simply said thank you and avoided a protracted conversation. If they were unsure, we had someone with knowledge of the area they were questioning answer their questions. As a follow up, an information piece was personally mailed the next day to them.
Two days before the election, volunteers began calling all of the "yes" voters to remind them to get out and vote.
Poll Watching
Volunteers were assigned to poll watching the day of the election. Their assignment was to observe who was coming out to vote and track the "yes" voter traffic. Throughout the day, they reported back and a phone bank was established to call people up to remind them to get out and vote if they hadn't yet.
The Victory
After countless efforts, the referendum passed 2,507 to 1,799a 58 percent margin for victory!
Coincidentally, five years ago in a community-wide survey a question was posed,
"If a referendum was on the ballot for funding of specific capital improvements to parks
and facilities, how would you vote?" The results back then were 58 percent "yes."
' "Benefits Based Recreation: Awareness Into Action" ©1996 written
by Carol Peterson, published by Alberta (Canada) Recreation and Parks Association.
GREG PETRY
is the executive director of the Waukegan Park District.
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