Agenda Item #12.2
For Council Meeting of: March 29, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ALAN ALTON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH TERRIS BARNES WALTERS BOIGON HEATH LESTER, INC., FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIAL TAX OUTREACH AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Finance Department that the Council, by resolution, approve a Professional Services Agreement with Terris Barnes Walters Boigon Heath Lester, Inc., San Francisco, CA, to provide informational outreach relative to developing a November 2022 ballot measure to renew the City’s Public Safety Special Tax (known as Measure O), in an amount not to exceed $200,000.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Agreement provides consulting services to assist with developing a ballot measure for the November 2022 election that would renew the City’s Public Safety Special Tax, otherwise known as Measure O. Under this Agreement, the consultant will assist the City with developing education and outreach, developing the City’s informational web page, developing and mailing educational material, and providing key informational points to help educate the public on Measure O programs.
BACKGROUND
In 2004, Santa Rosa voters passed Measure O, a quarter-cent public safety special tax to fund Police, Fire, and Violence Prevention programs through March 31, 2025. Prior to 2004, all Police, Fire, and Violence Prevention programs existed in the General Fund. The purpose of the tax was fund enhanced services in those program areas outside the General Fund.
The City’s public safety special tax generates approximately $10 million per year, and allocates this funding, as stated in the ordinance, as 40% to Police; 40% to Fire; and 20% to Violence Prevention. The programs funded by the tax measure must fall within the permissible uses as defined in the tax ordinance and include funding permanent and temporary positions. Because the funding for these programs is from a special tax, should that tax expire, the funding for the programs would cease and their associated programs would end. As a special tax, a two-thirds affirmative vote from Santa Rosa voters is required for passage.
In October, the City engaged the services of Terris Barnes Boigon Heath Lester, Inc. (TBWBHL) to assist with the development of an opinion survey to gauge voter support for renewing the City’s public safety special tax. The results of that survey, while encouraging compared to recent surveys, but were below the threshold necessary to pass a special tax.
Based on the results of the survey, staff and TBWBHL will work to develop various educational outreach materials showing the benefits the programs funded with this tax revenue in the community. In addition, the City plans an additional opinion survey in the end of spring to further gauge voter support, with a goal of placing a renewal measure on the November 2022 ballot.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable
ANALYSIS
Placing a measure on the November 2022 ballot to renew the City’s public safety special tax is a priority and requires expertise to give the City its best chance at success. Should this measure fail, the City will be faced with the prospect of eliminating vital community programs that have been in effect for twenty years. Staff needs assistance developing and executing the educational and outreach effort. The services proposed under this contract will cost an amount not to exceed $200,000. This amount is broken out as follows:
Base consulting fee of $6,500 per month for approximately seven months ($50,000). This includes assistance at meetings; messaging around the positive impacts within the community for social media, websites, and other presentations; and developing a second opinion survey for late spring.
Educational and outreach materials, including four educational mailers to approximately 57,000 households, posting social media information, and developing and maintaining a web page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ($149,000).
Travel expenses of approximately $1,000
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of this contract is a one-time expenditure and does not represent an ongoing expense to the General Fund. Funding exists within existing appropriations to pay for the expense.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and no further environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Exhibit A – Professional Services Agreement
CONTACT
Alan Alton, [email protected], 707-543-3093
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH TERRIS BARNES WALTERS BOIGON HEATH LESTER, INC., FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIAL TAX OUTREACH PAGE 3 OF 3