Area: Salt Lake County
1/10 of 1% additional sales tax
Population: 898,397
Revenue: Approximately $15 million
Use: zooes, parks, cultural
Salt Lake County, which includes Salt Lake City and its suburbs levieda one-tenth of one percent sales tax in 1997. This tax, commonly referred to as ZAP, funds the zoo, arts and parks in Salt Lake County. The legislation included a sunset clause mandating a reauthorization in November 2004, which passed with overwhelming success. In fact, the ZAP renewal received more votes than any other issue or candidate on the ballot that year.
Salt Lake County's success in renewing the ZAP tax, which collected just over $15.5 million in 2001, was largely due to the early development of a committee to oversee the renewal process and the hiring of an outside professional consultant. The Operating Committee was formed and they then hired The Carter Company in June of 2002 to manage the renewal campaign. The committee was led by: the Director of the Zoo, seven CEOs or managing directors from representative Tier I organizations and ex-officio members from the ZAP administration office and parks and recreation department. This group met on a monthly basis and then reported back to the larger committee consisting of representatives of recipient organizations who met on a quarterly schedule. In addition, the Operating Committee applied for and received 501(c)3 nonprofit status, which permitted them to solicit and receive donations. Impressively, this organization raised approximately $390,000 between June of 2002 and November 2004.
Once the committee was created, the consultants were hired and a unified purpose was agreed upon, the group began to take action. The consultants carefully reviewed the legislative content and made necessary updates to the funding restrictions and guidelines. The group started building relationships with elected officials, citizens of the community and people in the media. The ZAP committee ran ads in all 12 local newspapers, hung signage around town thanking citizens for their support and hosted a Zoo, Arts and Parks Appreciation Day one month prior to the election. The consultants researched the perceptions of voters. For example, focus groups were conducted to identify the interests of the community. The zoo was identified as most significant to the majority and was then emphasized in the marketing. Images of children at the zoo and in the parks were shown repetitively throughout promotional and informational pieces. Newsletters were mailed to approximately 70,000 people and pledge cards were
developed to secure additional support. The zoo had a couple free admission days to thank the public for their support of the tax. As Election Day approached, a phone bank was created and volunteers from recipient organizations made calls to encourage people to get out and vote. Media coverage was plentiful and positive.
Recommendations made by The Carter Company to the Operating Committee were to: focus on families, use real people and real stories to show the benefits of the tax, use simple and generic language, display a diversity of people, clearly tie the benefits to the policy. For example, tell people exactly what improvements were made at their local recreation center as an effect of the tax.
Note: Information taken from the Executive Summary of the Zoo, Arts and Parks Renewal Campaign written by Carter Livingston and Leslie Peterson.
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