Services
Bond Feasibility Survey
These surveys are designed to explore the feasibility of asking voters to approve a General Obligation Bond. GO Bonds are generally used for major construction projects, funding either the building of new facilities or the renovation of existing facilities.

Such a survey explores in detail voter reaction to the reasons additional construction funds are needed. Voters are also asked to react to all of the possible ways in which bond funds might be used. In most cases, the size of the bond is not tested but the average annual cost to local property owners is explored in detail.

Survey results present the client with a clear picture of the possible bond projects voters believe are high priority items. Conversely, the results also identify the projects the community believes are low priority items. Easy to read cross tabulations allow the client to see how project priorities vary if parents are separated from non-parents or frequent voters separated from infrequent voters.

Facilities Planning Surveys This type of survey focuses on how voters or residents react to the idea of expanding local services or public facilities. Very often used as part of the process of creating a Master Plan, these surveys assess the adequacy of existing programs and facilities (i.e. are there enough parks in the city? At the parks, are there enough basketball, bocce ball or soccer fields?) and then explore areas where voters or residents would like to see new facilities or programs created. This type of survey generally does not explore the willingness of voters to pay for the improvements they would like to see made in the community. Satisfaction Surveys This type of survey is designed to measure voter or resident satisfaction with the delivery of programs or services by a city, county or school district. The best use for this type of survey is to execute one every year or every other year in order to develop a clear picture of how voters or residents view the quality of the services being delivered to them. Post-Election Surveys This type of survey is executed as soon after an election as possible in order to gather the data needed to better understand why a tax proposal won or lost. Open-ended questions are used extensively to allow voters to offer their opinions concerning the nature of the proposal, the issues being discussed in the community and the ways in which the proposal could be changed if placed on the ballot in the future.

Determining the Feasibility of Increasing Operating Funds Similar to a bond feasibility study, these surveys probe voter reaction to an increase in property taxes designed to raise additional funds for program operation or service delivery. Such tax increases have different names depending on where the client is located in the United States. Some of the names involved include parcel taxes, operating levies, education fund taxes or utility taxes.

This type of survey explores voter understanding of the need for additional operating funds. It presents detailed questions presenting the specific ways in which additional tax funds will be spent. It explains the consequences of not raising additional funds in order to see if voters understand the fiscal challenges faced by the institution for which the survey is being executed.

A number of questions are included in the survey to determine how large a tax increase voters will support.

Survey results present the client with a clear picture of the programs or services voters believe are high priority items. Conversely, the results also identify items the community believes are low priority items. Easy to read cross tabulations allow the client to see how these priorities vary if parents are separated from non-parents or frequent voters separated from infrequent voters.