NCACC Seminar

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• NCACC Seminar
• Strategies for a Successful Referendum Campaign
• Session Strength in Numbers - Forming a
  Successful Coalition of Community Stakeholders
• Information Advocacy Pitt Countys
  Experience
• D. Scott Elliott, Pitt County Manager
• Susanne D. Sartelle, President, Greenville-
• Pitt County Chamber of Commerce
• January 24, 2008

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Pitt Countys Experience

• November 6th referendum successfully passed with
  59 voter approval
• Brief History
• 3 year process 2005, 2006 2007
• 1, ½ and then the ¼ sales tax
• Proceeds are 100 committed to new capital debt
  retirement K-12 Schools and Community College
• 269 Million in documented need
• Pitt County Schools 180 Million
• Pitt Community College 89 Million
• ¼ 5 Million annually to Pitt County
• 5 Million leverages 55-60 Million in new
  borrowing

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Phase One Activities Information Stage

• STAC (Sales Tax Advocacy Committee)
• Formed in 2005
• Organized to lobby the NCGA on behalf of Pitt
  County for a Local Act
• Represented the following agencies
• Pitt County Government
• Chairman, Board of County Commissioners
• County Manager
• Pitt County Schools
• Chairman, Board of Education
• School Superintendent
• Pitt Community College
• Chairman, Board of Trustees
• Community College President
• Greenville Pitt County Chamber Of Commerce
• Chairman, Board of Directors
• Chamber President
• Success in August, 2005 House passed HB 1050
• STAC facilitated by County Managers Office

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Phase One (cont)

• Attitudinal Survey of Registered Voters
• Conducted by East Carolina Universitys Center
  for Survey Research
• Undertaken spring/summer, 2006
• Nine question survey
• Bottom line result 54 of the registered voters
  answered yes to Would you be willing to
  support a half-percent increase in sales tax for
  school and community college needs in the County?
• 54 based upon no formal promotion of the issue
  in the community

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Phase Two Activities Advocacy Stage

• STAC transitioned into CFEC, late Summer 2007
• CFEC (Citizen for Education Construction)
• SL 2007-353 (House Bill 1473)
• Three month promotion! (Aug., Sept., Oct.)
• Membership expanded to include other community
  leaders
• Raised 14,000 in private funds to promote the
  passage of the sales tax in a very short time
  frame
• CFEC organized into working committees
• Finance Fundraising
• Media Public Relations
• Speakers Bureau
• Campaign Signs
• Working the Polls
• Voter Registration GOTV (Get Out The Vote)

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Organized Opposition?

• None in Pitt County
• Several anti Letters to the Editor
• CFEC responded with a series of pro letters
• Other The John Locke Foundation
• Published Regional Brief entitled Pitt County
  Doesnt Need a Sales Tax Increase
• Erroneous information and conclusions

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Greenville Pitt County Chamber of Commerce

• How the Chamber (Business Community) became
  involved in the issue
• Role played in identifying potential donors
• Steps taken to spread the word about the campaign
• Effectiveness of STAC / CFEC in helping determine
  the successful outcome

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Tools Used to Educate Advocate

• Educate
• Comprehensive PowerPoint Presentation
• Presentations to community groups by speakers
  bureau
• Talk radio/television
• Pitt County PIO commercial
• Elliott Report public access t.v. (panel
  interviews of players)

• Advocate
• Website www.cfec.info
• Letters to the Editor
• Yard Signs
• Business Cards
• Newspaper editorials
• Media advertising
• T.V. ads
• Radio ads
• Newspaper ads
• Direct Mail Piece

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Handouts

• PowerPoint Presentation
• www.cfec.info (website information)
• Frequently Ask Questions
• Direct Mail Piece
• Newspaper Ad
• Board Resolutions
• Pamphlet Pitt County Sales Tax for Education
  Construction
• Information Card Pitt County Sales Tax for
  Education Construction

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Questions ?
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Contact Information

• D. Scott Elliott
• Pitt County Manager
• 1717 W. 5th Street
• Greenville, NC 27834
• [phone]
• dselliott_at_pittcountync.gov
• Susanne D. Sartelle
• President, Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of
  Commerce
• 302 S. Greene Street
• Greenville, NC 27834
• [phone]
• susanne_at_greenvillenc.org

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