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MEMO T0: Parka and Recreation Commissioners <br />FROM: Staff <br />DAT6: January 20, 1978 <br />RE: Park 8ond Referendum Survey <br />A aurvey wae mailed to 97 municipal park and recreation,community education <br />end community servicea agencies throughout�the etate in late December. To date <br />we have received 47 replies for a 48.SX return. Of the re[urned surveye <br />21 communities had never had a bond referendum, 7 had one that failed and 19 <br />had one that was aucceasful. <br />Although the return was not excep[ionally high, [here were some "constanta" <br />[hat appeared to suzface: <br />1. Gf the 21 that have not had a bond referendum, 5 of the communitiea <br />had tried referendums for other municipal servlces, i.e. library, <br />schools, city halls Chat had failed. <br />2. 17 of the 21 "nevera" feel there ie no need for a referendum becauee <br />funds have been adequate from 1lquor revenue, park dedication or <br />state and federal monies. <br />3. 7 of Che 21 ."nevers" atated Chey felt their co�nuni[ies would not <br />suppor[ a referendum for a park. One co�unity pu[ i[ this way: <br />"The chancea of passing a park referendum ie eimilar to the prospecta <br />of Tampa Bay winning the Super Bowl. If it meant higher taxes our <br />reeidenta would vo[e against breathing." <br />4. 11 of the 21 "nevers" ci[y population was under 10,000 people. <br />5. The 7 unsuccesatul referendume varied in size from 400,OOD to 4.56 <br />mtllion. <br />6. 6 of the 7 referendume that failed, failed by at least a 2 to 1 margin. <br />7. d of the 7"no's" had a referendum pasa in their city for o[her <br />m�micipal services witAin the past 3 yeara. <br />8. The reaeone liated ae [o ahy their referendumeweze not eucceesful are <br />ae followa: <br />a. Apparently the citizen did not vant eny more parke. <br />b. Citizen apathy or ignorance of the iesue. <br />e. The psoposed site wea to cloae to another city - reeident didn't <br />feel they would benefit enough. <br />d. Poor timing - came out same time ae tax atatemente. <br />e. The oity had not eetabliahed a eucceseful enough treck record. <br />f. Failure eo convince people of the need. <br />g. The dollar amount wae too high and negative brochuree were <br />dietributed by opponen[e. <br />h. Lack of money end toecloee eo oeher eucceeeful bond seferenduma. <br />