12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 350 | Los Angeles, CA 90025 Phone: (310) 828-1183 | Fax: (310) 453-6562
1999 Harrison St., Suite 2020 | Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 451-9521 | Fax: (510) 451-0384
TO Philip Burum, Deputy City Manager
City of Fontana
FROM Dr. Richard Bernard, Adam Sonenshein and Maya Gutierrez FM3 Research
RE: City of Fontana Survey Research
DATE September 11, 2023
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) is happy to submit this scope of work and cost proposal to provide survey research to inform the City on the feasibility of a number of potential revenue measures in an upcoming City Election.
Details on the recommended survey specifications and estimated costs are provided below.
PROPOSED RESEARCH SPECIFICATIONS AND ESTIMATED COSTS
Research
Methodology
Dual-mode, telephone and online survey , with contact of potential respondents by telephone (cell phones and landlines), email invitations and text message invitations Survey Universe Likely November 2024 Voters in the City of Fontana Sample Size 800 respondents, with a sample of 400 focused on each of the respective diverse measures
Margin of
Sampling Error
±3.5 percent in 95 out of 100 cases for a sample of 800 respondents ±4.0 percent in 95 out of 100 cases for a sample of 600 respondents ±4.9 percent in 95 out of 100 cases for a sample of 400 respondents Questionnaire
Length
20-minute survey, featuring between 45 and 70 unique questions (including battery question items and demographic questions)
Languages We recommend telephone interviews in English and Spanish online and on the telephone.
12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 350 | Los Angeles, CA 90025 Phone: (310) 828-1183 | Fax: (310) 453-6562
1999 Harrison St., Suite 2020 | Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 451-9521 | Fax: (510) 451-0384
Deliverables Following the completion of the survey, FM3 will provide:
• A questionnaire with the topline results of the survey for easy reference • An analysis of survey results in PowerPoint
• A presentation of the survey results (if requested)
FM3 will also be available for ongoing consultation and any further analysis of the research.
Cost FM3 is prepared to conduct the baseline 20-minute dual-mode survey among a random sample of 800 likely November 2024 City of Fontana voters for a not-to-exceed cost of $59,300. This cost is comprehensive, and includes questionnaire design, sample acquisition and preparation, programming, email and text message invitations, bilingual online survey hosting and telephone interviewing in English and Spanish , data entry and analysis, and reporting.
If one or both of the measures examined in the baseline survey appear viable and the City of Fontana City Council is interested in deliberating in the Summer of 2024 as to whether to place one or both of the measures on the November 2024 Ballot, FM3 recommends an optional tracking survey in late Spring/early Summer be considered.
In this case, FM3 recommends a 15-minute tracking survey of 400 to 600 likely November 2024 Election voters, available in English and Spanish, online and on the telephone. The cost of this survey, including all tasks outlined in the baseline survey, ranges from a not-to-exceed cost of $37,750 to $45,500 depending on the sample size selected.
We are excited to work together on this project. If you have any questions or if there is any further information we can provide, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your consideration and you may reach us as follows:
Richard Bernard, Ph.D. (Partner)
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3)
(310) 428-1809 (Cell)
[email protected]
Adam Sonenshein (Senior Vice President)
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3)
(310) 569-3653 (Cell)
[email protected]
Maya Gutierrez (Researcher)
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3)
(661) 709-1845 (Cell)
[email protected]
Background and Experience
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3 Research or FM3) has been conducting public policy - oriented opinion research since 1981 on issues of major economic and social concern. As a California- based company, we are a medium-sized research firm with 22 full-time employees working out of our Los Angeles and Oakland offices. The research FM3 conducts goes far beyond simply documenting the knowledge, views, and behaviors of various populations. Rather, our work produces actionable data that provides a strategic roadmap for policy makers and informs community outreach and communication efforts.
Each of the research projects we do is led by one (or more) of our six partners, all of whom are nationally respected authorities on public opinion research. As our client, you will have direct access to not only the partner working on your project, but also several other key staff members with advanced degrees in public policy, research methods, and/or extensive experience working in state and local government.
While our firm is not so b ig that you will wonder who to call with your questions, we are big enough to have our own in-house data analysis/processing team and graphic design resources. This means we can provide our clients with a level of personal attention and service from firm partners and other senior staff more often associated with much smaller organizations, while also providing rapid project turnaround and more sophisticated data analysis and presentations tailored to client needs that one might expect from larger firms.
Experience Conducting Research on Revenue Measures
FM3 is a recognized leader in conducting survey research that helps California cities, counties, special districts, and other jurisdictions objectively evaluate the viability of passing local ballot measures to secure additional revenue. Our research has contributed to the passage of more than 600 local finance measures approved for 160+ California agencies in every region of the state. As evidence of the accuracy of our research, election results are typically within the margin of error of what our surveys suggest will be the level of support on Election Day.
Our research identifies the feasibility of a potential ballot measure (or measures); the most appropriate tax rate and revenue mechanism (parcel tax, sales tax, transient occupancy tax, utility user tax, bond measure, etc.); how voters would prefer additional revenue to be used; and how to phrase the ballot label language. Furthermore, the finance measure research that FM3 conducts for our public agency clients not only assists in drafting the most compelling 75-word ballot label possible, but also quantitatively identifies which unique, legally permissible messages will resonate most among the agency’s constituents when engaging in outreach and education.
Our municipal clients represent a diverse cross -section of large and small cities and other jurisdictions, including suburban, urban, and rural communities, in every region of the state of California. We make it a priority to work closely with each of our clients to design the research because we know every community or region is different and requires an approach that addresses its own unique characteristics and needs.
In 2022 alone, FM3 helped more than 50 local governments across California win voter ap proval to fund needed to support important services for citizens. These included:
• Sixteen sales tax measures in the cities of Atwater, Elk Grove, Galt, Goleta, Larkspur, Malibu, Monterey Park, Ontario, Pacifica, Sausalito, Tehachapi, Torrance, Vallejo Westminster • Six transient occupancy tax measures in the cities of Alameda, Imperial Beach, Paso Robles, and Sacramento, as well as Humboldt County and Placer County • Six cannabis tax measures in the cities of El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Montclair, South Lake Tahoe, Tulare, as well as Los Angeles County
• Three business tax/fee measures in the cities of Culver City, Palo Alto, and Pico Rivera • Two parcel tax measures, one for the City of Oakland and another for the Oakland Unified School District
• Two utility user taxes in the cities of Carson and Hercules • A tax on single-use, disposable cups in Santa Cruz County
Richard Bernard, Partner
FM3 Partner Dr. Richard Bernard is one of California’s foremost public opinion researchers on issues related to public agencies, t heir services, and the funding they need to provide those services. Richard routinely provides strategic advice for a diverse set of clients including special districts, cities, counties, K -12 and community college districts, nonprofits, businesses, and la bor unions. His work helps his clients to better understand , and develop a road map for effectively communicating with, their populations of interest. Richard will serve as Project Manager for the research FM3 conducts for the City of Fontana and will be the primary day-to-day contact.
During his more than 20 years at FM3, Richard’s public opinion research efforts have helped ballot measure campaigns raise billions of dollars for city and county general fund services , public safety , schools, community colleges, transportation improvements, clean water and open space protection, and libraries. His research led to the passage of three special district measures , including the largest local transportation sales tax measure (Los Angeles County Measure M), the largest local park and open space property tax measure (Los Angeles County Measure A), and the largest local stormwater infrastructure funding measure (Los Angeles County Measure W), in U.S. history. His successful efforts reflect extensive expertise facilitating voter approval of ballot measures involving such finance mechanisms as sales taxes, parcel/property taxes, utility user taxes, transient occupancy taxes, general obligation bonds, and property owner assessments/fees.
In recent years, Richard has led research projects that have resulted in successful revenue measures for/in the cities of Alhambra, Bellflower, Burbank, Duarte, Elk Grove, Exeter, Galt, Goleta, Lakewood, Lomita, Malibu, Montebello, Monterey Park, Montclair, Moreno Valley, Norwalk, Ontario, Palmdale, Palm Springs, Paramount, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Porterville, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo,
South El Monte, Taft, Tehachapi, Tulare, Torrance, Ventura, Visalia, West Hollywood, Whittier, and Wildomar; as well as Calaveras County, Fresno County, Kern County, and Los Angeles County.
Richard is no stranger to San Bernardino County and the City of Fontana specifically, having conducted research on behalf of the Fontana Unified School District on their successful $275 Million Dollar General Obligation Bond in 2006, as well as exploratory bond research in 2021 -2022; and he recently completed a second City of Ontario resident survey. He is currently working for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority to help th em identify voter priorities for an updated Countywide Long Range Transportation Plan, as well as to gauge the viability of a potential transportation sales tax measure. To date on the aforementioned project, he has conducted two surveys and five focus gro ups among San Bernardino County voters. His other San Bernardino clients have included the cities of Ontario (Measure Q – Sales Tax), Montclair (Measure C – Sales Tax and Measure M – Cannabis Tax). He is currently working for the City of Chino on examining the viability of a potential sales tax in 2024. Some of his other clients in San Bernardino County have included the Inland Empire Community Foundation, San Bernardino Municipal Water District, Southern California Association of Governments , and Southern California Edison.
Richard joined the firm after being on the faculty at the University of Toronto from 1999 to 2002. While at the University of Toronto, Richard taught research methods and statistics and within his research dealt frequently with issues re lated to cities, employment, ethnicity, and families. He has published in such journals as East Asian Pacific Migration Journal, International Migration Review, and Canadian Journal of Sociology. Prior to joining the faculty at University of Toronto, Dr. Bernard was a Sloan Foundation post - doctoral fellow at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) based at The University of Chicago, where he both designed and tested quantitative and qualitative research related to family, work, and educational issues. He is also a former transportation commissioner for the City of West Hollywood.
Education: Richard received an Honors B.A. from York University, an M.A. from McGill University, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA.
Senior Vice President Adam Sonenshein has also worked on the City of San Bernardino (sales tax), San Bernardino City Schools District (not on the ballot yet), Rialto USD (passed a bond), and Central School District (passed a bond).