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Phone: (510) 451-9521 | Fax: (510) 451-0384
TO Leslie Caviglia, City Manager
City of Visalia
FROM Dr. Richard Bernard
FM3 Research
RE: City of Visalia Budget Priority Survey Proposal
DATE February 17, 2026
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) is pleased to submit this proposed scope and cost proposal to conduct a 20-minute baseline City of Visalia budget priority survey among a random sample of 400 City of Visalia registered voters who are likely to vote in the November 2026 General Election . This survey will be available in English and Spanish, both online and by telephone. We recommend that the survey is available in English and Spanish.
FM3 feels well positioned to conduct this research having conducted a number of surveys on behalf of the City of Visalia since the early 2000s, most recently a residents’ satisfaction survey in August 2025. In the past, FM3 has also conducted the research that helped inform the passage of Visalia’s Measure O, a cannabis tax, in November 2024. Previously, FM3’s research tested the viability and identified legally permissible educational messaging that contributed to the passage of the City’s Measure N (1/2 -cent sales tax, 2016) and Measure T (1/4-cent sales tax, 2004). As a result, our team is deeply familiar with not only the local electorate but also the issues, cycles, and rhythms of local public opinion and its evolution over time.
The remainder of this proposal provides specifications and pricing for the recommended survey research.
RESEARCH SPECIFICATIONS & COSTS – CITY OF VISALIA BASELINE SURVEY Research
Methodology
Dual-Mode Survey
Timing Late February/Early March 2026
Data Collection
Mode
Telephone and online interviews
Respondent
Contact Method
Telephone calls, email invitations and text message invitations
Sample 400 City of Visalia registered voters who are likely to vote in the November 2026 General Election
Margin of
Sampling Error*
±4.9% for a sample of 400 interviews*
*At the 95% confidence level (i.e., in 95 out of 100 cases) Questionnaire 20-minute survey, featuring approximately 35-55 unique questions (including battery question items and demographic questions)
Language Interviews will be conducted in English and Spanish Deliverables Following the completion of the survey, we will provide:
• An approved questionnaire 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 will be happy to conduct a 20-minute baseline dual -mode survey (online and by telephone) as described above , among a random sample of up to 400 City of Visalia registered voters likely to vote in the November 2026 General Election for a not-to-exceed cost of $37,750. This price is comprehensive, and includes all costs for questionnaire design, sample acquisition and preparation, professional Spanish translation, programming, email and text message invitations, bilingual survey hosting, bilingual telephone interviewing, data entry and analysis, and reporting. If the City would like to conduct a tracking survey in 2026, FM3 recommends an optional 12 -minute dual-mode survey of up to 400 registered voters likely to vote in the November 2026 General Election, available in English and Spanish, for a not-to-exceed cost of $31,500. Travel is not included, but will be billed at cost if the City would like a FM3 representative to travel to present to the City Council.
FM3 would welcome the opportunity to work with you on this research, and if you have any questions or if there is any further information we can provide, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your consideration and you may reach me as follows:
Richard Bernard, Ph.D., Partner
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3)