BEST PRACTICES Going to the Ballot What drives success at the ballot box Diana S I E. Susan TARTING THIS SPRING, SPOKANE Transit Authority (STA) will kick off its 10-year plan called STA Moving Forward, to add more and better bus service across the region. Funding will come primarily from the 0.2 percent local sales and use tax rate increase approved by area voters in November 2016, along with periodic fare increases. Th e election victory was especially signifi cant since voters rejected a similar measure in 2015 by less than 600 votes. Th e STA board, a regional body of nine elected offi cials (appointed by the seven cities and county in the taxing district) and a non-voting representative of labor, refl ected on the narrow defeat. What they did next turned the earlier defeat into a true success story. Th ey spent over a year walking through fi nancial projections and the sequence of projects. Th e main concern that arose during the fi rst election was whether STA was asking too much of taxpayers; a 0.3 percent local sales tax rate increase would move the total sales tax from 8.7 percent to 9 percent all at once even though we planned to phase in the new service over 10 years’ time. We also got feedback that some were confused about what was in the plan. In our zeal to be transparent about the 25 individual improvements, project details and schedules were too complicated. Overdosed on information, a perception emerged that some parts of the region were being neglected. Worse, the informal (but vigorous) opposition made much ado of a single new BRT project and successfully persuaded some it was the only project. Aft er the assessment was complete, the board re-affi rmed the 10-year plan but moved up some of the projects which went a long way in addressing geographic concerns. Th ey made the decision to go back to the ballot with a lower 0.2 percent sales tax rate increase that could be implemented in two increments over three years’ time, saving taxpayers nearly $60 million over the earlier plan. Th is was made possible by a smaller increase, better than expected sales tax revenue growth and the state covering the local share of capital cost of one of the projects. A 10-year sunset clause was a common element in both ballot measures, not because it was associated with debt, STA doesn’t have any — but because the board wanted to off er it as a demonstration of the agency’s accountability. Voters will need to reauthorize the sales tax rate increase by 2028. We launched public education about the ballot measure with a simpler message, but with all the information available online. We shift ed away from planning details and changed the premise of the conversation. Instead of discussing which projects were in each jurisdiction, we focused on the message that the network improvements were designed 30 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | MARCH 2017 to “connect people to services, connect workers to jobs, and to partner in advancing regional economic development.” Th e conversation shift ed away from, “who gets what?” to, “look at all the new places people will be able to go!” In the end, while no one likes to lose, the board’s thoughtful approach and lower price tag, clearer public education and a robust independent campaign, contributed to a 55 percent “Yes” vote. And, unlike the fi rst time, a majority of voters in each of the seven cities and the unincorporated county supported it. Mendes Senior Vice President, National Transit/Rail Market Sector Leader HNTB N THE WAKE OF ELECTION DAY 2016, at least one clear winner has emerged: public transportation. Th ere were a historic number of transit-related funding initiatives on ballots across the nation, of which about 70 percent passed. Th is impressive result means that there will be about $170 billion in new funding for systems that provide Americans with mobility options ranging from commuter and light rail trains to subways, buses and other services. Why did so many millions of voters coast-to-coast say yes to public transportation? Th ere’s no simple answer, but several lessons learned may be helpful to agencies facing future ballot measures: • Demonstrate that transit investments deliver strong returns • Highlight rideshare and sharing economy options that create vital links • Encourage strong advocacy … it makes the diff erence By voting for massive transit investments, the public is showing its faith that leaders will spend money wisely, operate an eff ective system. Ultimately, public transportation is all about choice in how you travel. Yes, it’s about mobility and accessibility, but it’s also about freedom. Across the nation, voters have signaled that they are ready for a new era of broader transit options. Meyer CEO Spokane Transit Spokane, Wash. Washington, D.C. Voters support public transit for economic and lifestyle reasons.
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