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File Number: 18-209 <br />necessary to fully evaluate them, it would be crucial for the City to retain the assistance of a <br />financial consultant in advance of placing such a measure on the ballot. <br />Steps involved in Bringing Forward a Successful Revenue Measure <br />As outlined above, parcel taxes by nature are significantly more complicated than sales tax <br />measures, and are more challenging to pass due to the two-thirds super-majority threshold. As a <br />matter of best practice under optimal circumstances, the process of fully exploring a new tax <br />measure would commence at least one year prior to the targeted election date, similar to the <br />approach that was executed in advance of Measure HH, the City’s ½-cent sales tax that was <br />adopted by voters in November 2014. Such a timeline is recommended so that the viability of the <br />measure may be fully evaluated and explored. A number of important related steps that would <br />typically be completed and in advance of ballot placement include: <br />·Identifying and hiring a public affairs consultant to guide development of the measure and <br />related procedures and outreach efforts <br />·Identifying and hiring a financial consultant to analyze various parcel tax structures and the <br />anticipated revenues that could be derived from each <br />·Hiring a public opinion research company (a.k.a. a pollster) to develop and execute a <br />telephonic and online survey of likely voters in order to gauge potential public support for <br />the tax measure at a range of rates and durations, as well as to identify related funding <br />priorities <br />·Development and distribution of informational materials and public outreach efforts, e.g. <br />town hall meetings, opportunities for public feedback and identification of concerns, etc. <br />·Development of a draft spending plan and budget priorities list that would be used to guide <br />the expenditure of any funds that are derived from the measure <br />·Development of staff report, ballot language, draft resolution and ordinance placing the <br />measure on the ballot, along with the City Attorney’s analysis <br />·Opportunities for input and guidance from the Mayor and City Council or City Council <br />Committees (if time allows) as key milestones are approaching <br />Furthermore, in order to meet the deadlines established by the Alameda County Registrar of <br />Voters, the City would need to complete all of the above steps and the City Council would need to <br />formally adopt a resolution and ordinance placing such a tax measure by August 2018. As a <br />practical matter since the City Council typically does not meet in August, all of these steps would <br />need to be completed no later than the last City Council meeting in July 2018, i.e. within <br />approximately the next two and one-half months. <br /> <br />Additionally, per State law, City resources and staff time associated with such an endeavor would <br />be limited to providing only factual, non-partisan information about the measure, and could not be <br />used to advocate for public support for the measure. <br />Furthermore, given that the measure would require a two-thirds super-majority vote of the <br />electorate to secure passage, it would be most likely to pass if a robust campaign infrastructure <br />were in place that would be able to provide resources, volunteers, and significant funding in order <br />to advocate for the measure’s passage. The City could not play a role in the advocacy efforts; <br />however, the City Council may wish to consider whether or not there are existing advocates in the <br />Page 4 City of San Leandro Printed on 5/1/2018 <br />1571