Story #53 City of San Ramon

Passing a Sales Tax for the First Time

CliffordMoss is proud to enjoy successful long-term relationships with cities that sponsor multiple measures over many years and also with cities that are new to the process and have never placed a revenue measure on the ballot. The City of San Ramon in 2024 was one such “new” city and we were proud to get the privilege of partnering with the super talented City team. Here’s how election success came together for the City with CliffordMoss’ help. 

Having never previously asked their community to support a local revenue measure, the City of San Ramon had the foresight to approach the process with a long-term view – and not rush to get a Measure in front of voters. Facing a $14 million structural deficit, despite various cost-saving measures taken by the City, a local revenue measure was a crucial step to protecting vital city services that local residents valued and had come to expect. 

With the help of CliffordMoss, the City shifted to organizing strategic communications and LISTENING efforts with City and local opinion leaders. Later, the effort expanded even further, telling the City’s compelling story of both “budget prudence” AND “growing needs” across the community. As momentum grew, the City officially turned up the volume, asking the community to weigh in via online with static and video ads from REAL San Ramon residents and city employees. This was all part of the early “feasibility” work conducted to determine IF and what type of measure would be feasible in a community like San Ramon, which had never been asked to support a local tax measure.

On a parallel track, CliffordMoss worked with San Ramon City Staff to take a comprehensive inventory of any existing communication channels to make sure that all City messaging was aligned (e.g. e-newsletters, city program guides, resource center material, etc.). ALIGNMENT proved to be vital to the City’s efforts. Whether one-on-one meetings with community leaders and organizations, citywide mailings and online surveys, or informational town halls, it was all integrated under a common San Ramon look and theme.

The community response was significant, with over 3,500 completed surveys received and more than 800 personal comments generated from San Ramon community members. That summer (July 2024) an independent campaign committee came together to mobilize support for the City measure. The rest is history! An early investment in strategic communications paid off, “setting the table” for future election success. In the end, voters said YES to Measure N – the City’s sales tax measure passed with more than 56% support even with economic and political turbulence and exit polls showing that many voters’ top concerns were the economy and rising cost of living. Congratulations City of San Ramon!