Story #33 City of Hayward

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City of Hayward (Alameda County)
Pre-Electoral Community Outreach – December 2014 through March 2014        
June 3^rd 2014 ½ cent sales tax Election – 67.36% WIN

The City of Hayward was last on the ballot in 2009 with Measure A, a Utility Users Tax of 5.5% to protect the community from devastating cuts that would have impacted Hayward's quality of life for years to come.  Working with an amazing community and City leadership team, CliffordMoss’ Bonnie Moss led the effort to a WIN. Five years later the City of Hayward was on the ballot again; this time to improve Hayward City services and facilities. Joined by her colleagues at CliffordMoss, Bonnie led a team of experts first to determine the public funding options and electoral “feasibility” of winning a tax measure; second, to engage and educate the community about the City’s service and facility NEEDS; third, to shape a tax measure package in alignment with a potentially skeptical electorate; and finally, to conduct a winning grassroots community campaign teaming with an army of volunteers to pass the measure.

The public engagement and listening tour CliffordMoss developed was essential in determining the community’s interest in supporting a locally funded ballot measure to address Hayward’s most critical needs. The City’s 10 weeks of engaging and LISTENING began with opinion leaders and key community stakeholders. The listening tour then shifted to Hayward voters where the City received a tremendous response, including over 1,010 surveys (email/cards) filled out and returned, 1,017 door to door conversations conducted by volunteers and an additional 1,416 online surveys completed. Critical to the successful effort was the Friends of the Hayward Public Library group, which was highly invested in the project. (With passage of this measure, they would celebrate a new library!)  The Friends group helped by conducting stakeholder interviews and providing a volunteer army and campaign leadership. The culmination of this effort found that a ½ cent sales tax was supported by Hayward residents and electorally feasible. Voters had the final say on Measure C when they cast their ballots on Election Day June 3^rd with at resounding 67.36% Yes.