School Tax Elections:  Winning Strategies in 250 Words #4
​Misery Index (published 01/05/23)

Economist Arthur “Art” Okun, former Yale professor and Chairman of Economic Advisors in the late 1960’s, coined the tagline, “Misery Index” to measure broad community sentiment about the state of the economy and its threat (real or perceived) to our collective pocketbooks. To compute Okun’s Misery Index add the current inflation and unemployment rates at a moment in time. When the sum total hits 10% or higher misery abounds.

Flash  back to June of 2022…inflation rate hits 9.1% and national unemployment rate stands at 3.6% for a total of 12.7%. Translation? Give me a M…Give me an I…Give me a S…Give me an E…Give me a R…Give me a Y…What does it spell? MISERY!

Misery Index falls in the category of non-strategic factors affecting the outcome of school tax elections. It has obvious impact but is not within our control. That said, when high a Misery Index abounds, there the two key considerations that beg for your attention:

1. Can the tax election wait for better economic times? (Wait if you can!)
2. Can’t wait? Then it is even more important to carefully align content and cost of your ballot proposal with the community’s values and willingness to pay. One tool to guide that decision is a scientific, random-sample feasibility survey.

​When the Misery Index is high it is critical that school leaders muster what it takes to plan and deliver an “A+” campaign and by so doing hopefully avoid a more poignant form of misery on Election Day.

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Click on the sections below to catch up on all the "School Tax Elections" entries!

#1 Laying the Foundation, part 1

School Tax Elections:  Winning Strategies in 250 Words #1
​Laying the Foundation, Part 1 (published 10/06/22)
Understanding that large ships can’t turn quickly is a common analogy used by planning consultants, warning of dire consequences of investing too little time – bad plans and worse outcomes.  Tony Lucca sings this refrain in True Story: “Just hold on tight with all of your might, it takes the time it takes to get it right.” Both put exclamation marks on a precious resource within the control of school leaders – taking the time it takes to get it right!

So, how much time is enough? Best practice would recommend 15 – 18 months. The master plan should be research-based, strategic, and include specific tasks, timelines and responsibilities.  And remember, it’s not a plan unless either on paper or your hard drive.  Fifteen to eighteen months provide time to develop and then execute the plan – time to turn the ship in a direction that moves taxpayers from where they are to where they need to be to vote “yes” to higher taxes on election day. 

Planning and executing a successful school tax election is both hard and long. Your leadership team needs to determine who internally will have primary responsibility. When superintendents assume the role of general, other leadership responsibilities need to be delegated. Likewise, if the leadership role is assigned to a subordinate, superintendents still need to stay engaged since the outcome of the tax election will be on their watch. In laying this foundation for success, remember Benjamin Franklin’s forewarning: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!"

#2 Laying the Foundation, Part 2

School Tax Elections:  Winning Strategies in 250 Words #2
​Laying the Foundation, Part 2 (published 11/02/22)
​Last month’s “Laying the Foundation” spotlighted a Tony Luca song, “Just hold on tight with all your might, it takes the time it takes to get it right.”  Starting your school tax election planning 15 – 18 months early provides time for key strategies that will make a difference on election day. 
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Conducting a communication audit is a high-return strategy. The National School Public Relations Association recommends taking a “…snapshot of your current communication efforts, the climate for communication, the issues and image perceptions you are facing, and the communication needs of target audiences.”  The scope of the audit includes everything from your logo and tagline to print and electronic communications to social media and community engagement. A top-notch communication system is foundational in support of a successful tax election. For information go to:  https://www.nspra.org/nspra-communication-audits.

A second audit focuses on dusting off (and tweaking as needed) key school board policies impacting school tax elections. Most important is your directory information policy. Some school districts identify parents’ names, addresses, and phone numbers as public data, which anyone can access (e.g., vote “yes” committee). Others restrict one or more of these important contact fields. Other policies to review include use of buildings and grounds (Can a vote “yes” committee have a table at the football game?), access to staff mailboxes, and use of a district’s auto dialing system.

A key takeaway for both audits is “earlier is better” – get them done before the spotlight is on your ballot proposal and election day.

#3 Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)

School Tax Elections:  Winning Strategies in 250 Words #3
​Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) (published 12/01/22)

In the words of Charles Edwards: “The budget evolved from a management tool into an obstacle to management.”  How true within the context of public school funding – a menagerie of complex local, state, and federal revenue sources not to be out done by legalistic and restrictive budget accounting on the expenditure side.  In the context of public opinion about school budgets and tax elections, the challenge is further encumbered by mostly negative press about public schools and finances.

Another chapter in the “start planning early” school tax election manual suggests forming a Budget Advisory Committee to educate community members when important fiscal decisions need to be made. Advocates who can engage with fellow citizens, explain financial realities in common language, and advocate for solutions including school tax elections. The mission of a typical BAC would “advise, support and make recommendations to management on policies and practices related to budgets, financial priorities and the operation of the school system.”

If your BAC is going to be a resource and not an obstacle, I offer some tips and guardrails to guide the launch:

• Approach BAC as a long-range strategy
• 8 – 10 members is an effective working group
• Look for members who are well known and respected within the community
• Address diversity including gender, age, occupation, politics, geography, and race/ethnicity
• Establish staggered 3-year terms broadening participation over time and expanding the cadre of informed residents
• Remember…if it was a good idea before your school tax election, it better be a good idea after.

#4 Misery Index

School Tax Elections:  Winning Strategies in 250 Words #4
​Misery Index (published 01/05/23)

Economist Arthur “Art” Okun, former Yale professor and Chairman of Economic Advisors in the late 1960’s, coined the tagline, “Misery Index” to measure broad community sentiment about the state of the economy and its threat (real or perceived) to our collective pocketbooks. To compute Okun’s Misery Index add the current inflation and unemployment rates at a moment in time. When the sum total hits 10% or higher misery abounds.

Flash  back to June of 2022…inflation rate hits 9.1% and national unemployment rate stands at 3.6% for a total of 12.7%. Translation? Give me a M…Give me an I…Give me a S…Give me an E…Give me a R…Give me a Y…What does it spell? MISERY!

Misery Index falls in the category of non-strategic factors affecting the outcome of school tax elections. It has obvious impact but is not within our control. That said, when high a Misery Index abounds, there the two key considerations that beg for your attention:

1. Can the tax election wait for better economic times? (Wait if you can!)
2. Can’t wait? Then it is even more important to carefully align content and cost of your ballot proposal with the community’s values and willingness to pay. One tool to guide that decision is a scientific, random-sample feasibility survey.

When the Misery Index is high it is critical that school leaders muster what it takes to plan and deliver an “A+” campaign and by so doing hopefully avoid a more poignant form of misery on Election Day.
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