Laying the Groundwork for Successful CampaignsBUILDING BROAD COALITIONSRachel DiResto,Executive Vice President

CFTE ConferenceJune 24, 2013

CPEX helps create highly functional, equitable communities throughout Louisiana that capitalize on their unique qualities

through community driven planning and implementation.

Overview• Baton Rouge had one of the lowest-funded and worst-performing transit systems in the country.

• Capital Area Transit System (CATS) held a parishwide election in 2010. It fails 47% to 53%.

• 2011: FuturEBR, a new comprehensive land-use plan for the Parish, put transit as crucial first-step toward long-term plan.

• 2012, CATS would face a major short-fall, and would either have to cut service hours by 46% or shut down entirely in July.

• In Feb 2011, Mayor Kip Holden asked Together Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Chamber to form a Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on public transit.

Background

• The BRC was charged with the following items:– Compile existing data – Gather community input– Create concrete plan of action for

transit, including funding and political strategy

– Considering all other factors that would impact FUTUREBR implementation and transit sustainability

Research Baton Rouge vs. Peer Cities

Research based on “peer cities” to show how Baton Rouge stacks up (poorly!) against other places that have solid transit systems.

• Recommendation 1 – Implement Transit Proposal Focused on Ridership Expansion• Recommendation 2 – Support New Public Transit Board Member Nominating Process and Criteria• Recommendation 3 – Overhaul Existing Public Transit Legislation, Reform Governance Structure and Create New Capital Area Transit District• Recommendation 4 – Create a Dedicated Revenue Source for Transit• Recommendation 5 – Launch Public Engagement Campaign and Election Drive

BRC Recommendations

The Baton Rouge Transit Coalition (BRTC) was formed to raise awareness of the condition of the Capital Region’s transit system

Mission:• Advocate for the adoption of the Blue Ribbon

Commission’s recommendations

• Convene interested individuals, groups and stakeholders to promote dialogue and increase community awareness of the vital importance of public transportation

• Fulfill the vision of the FuturEBR Plan

Coalition building

Raymond A. Jetson, Star Hill Church, ChairDavid Aguillard, Catholic Charities

Nancy McPherson, AARPRyan Gremillion, Baton Rouge Area Chamber

Reverend Jennifer Jones-Bridgett, PICO LouisianaAlvin Herring,  Working Interfaith NetworkHomer Charles, Group Construction, L.L.C.

Helena Cunningham, East Baton Rouge Parish Mortgage Finance AuthorityAnn Trappey, Forte & Tablada Engineers

Carmen Weisner, National Association of Social WorkersCassie Felder, Cassie Felder and Associates/Forum 35

Meg Mahoney, Baton Rouge Area ChamberRachel DiResto, Center for Planning Excellence

Chris Tyson, Louisiana State University Law SchoolMark Goodson, East Baton Rouge Parish Redevelopment Authority

Creighton Abadie, Lindsay & Abadie Attorneys at Law, CATSJared Loftus, CATS 

Leroy Watts, Liberty Bank Edgar Cage, Together Baton Rouge 

Ronald Williams, 4th District Association

Diverse membership

• BRAC, CPEX, Together BR and CATS held regular working meetings

• Fundraising efforts

• Developed legislative components

• Developed website with facts and research

BRTC

Public Education/Outreach

Legislation

Transit Board

Criteria Ballot

Proposal and

Advocacy

Monitoring of Transit Progress

Campaign/Fundraisin

g

Campaign structure

• Decrease wait times from the current average of 75 minutes to 15-20 minutes

• Build 3 new transit hubs to replace “spoke” system with “grid” system

• Overhaul bus stops with new shelters and benches• Add GPS tracking to fleet, with exact arrival times accessible

on cell phones• Overhaul all signage for transit stops, providing detailed

route and time information• Increase service from 19 to 37 routes, expanding to high-

demand areas that currently are not served (near hospitals and malls)

• Increase peak-hour buses from 32 to 57• Create 3 New Express Lines: Downtown to LSU; Florida Blvd

(from Airline to Downtown); Plank Road (with service to Airport)

Campaign components

• CATS – not a trusted, reputable agency• CATS budget shortfall – system predicted to shut down in July 2012• Campaign timeline shifted from Fall 2012 to April 2012• Single issue campaign – other risks/issues

Campaign Issues

Outreach and Education• Huge effort of citizen education (Civic Academies)• Compelling presentations with data and facts• Trained team of leaders to conduct “civic academy”

sessions.• Conducted (with partner orgs) to host 120 separate events,

reaching more than 5,000 people

• Education sessions CHANGED THE DIALOGUE

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Great cities have great transit. Period.

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Akron, OHAlameda, CAAlbuquerque, NMAmes, IAAnn Arbor, MIAntioch, CAArlington, VAAsheville, NCAtlanta, GAAustin, TXBakersfield, CABatavia, OHBay City, MIBellingham, WABenton Harbor, MIBillings, MTBirmingham, ALBismarck, ND

Bloomington, INBradenton, FLBremerton, WABrunswick, OHBuffalo, NYBurlington, WACanton, OHCedar Rapids, IAChapel Hill, NCCharleston, SCCharleston, WVCharlotte, NCCharlottesville, VAChicago, ILCincinnati, OHCleveland, OHColorado Springs, CO

Columbus, GAColumbus, OHCommerce, CAConcord, CACorpus Christi, TXCorvallis, ORCulver City, CACumberland, MDDallas, TXDavenport, IADavis, CADayton, OHDenver, CODetroit, MIDuluth, MNEl Paso, TXElk Grove, CAEverett, WA

Fairfield, CAFlagstaff, AZFlint, MIFond du Lac, WIFort Collins, COFort Myers, FLFort Smith, ARFort Wayne, INFort Worth, TXFredericksburg, VAGardena, CAGary, INGlendale, AZGrand Forks, NDGrand Rapids, MIGrand River, OHGranite City, IL

Other cities with dedicated revenue for transit …

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Great Falls, MTGreensboro, NCGretna, LAHanford, CAHesperia, CAHighland Falls, NYHolland, MIHouston, TXHuntington, WVIndianapolis, INIowa City, IAJackson, MIJacksonville, FLJefferson City, MOKalamazoo, MIKansas City, MO

Kent, OHLa Mirada, CALaCrosse, WILafayette, INLakeland, FLLancaster, CALansing, MILaredo, TXLargo, MDLas Cruces, NMLawrence, KS Lewisville, TXLexington, KYLivermore, CALogan, UTLompoc, CALong Beach, CALos Angeles, CA

Medford, ORMiami, FLMinneapolis, MNMissoula, MTMoline, ILMontebello, CAMonterey, CAMurfreesboro, TNNapa, CANew Orleans, LANew York, NYNorwalk, CAOakland, CAOceanside, CAOlympia, WAOmaha, NEOrange, CAOxnard, CA

Peoria, ILPetaluma, CAPhoenix, AZPinole, CAPittsburgh, PAPompano Beach, FLPort Huron, MIPort Washington, WIPorterville, CAPortland, ORProvidence, RIRedondo Beach, CARichland, WARiverside, CARockville, MD

MORE cities with dedicated revenue for transit …

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Sacramento, CASaginaw, MISalem, ORSan Antonio, TXSan Bernardino, CASan Carlos, CASan Diego, CASan Francisco, CASan Jose, CASan Juan, PRSanta Barbara, CASanta Clarita, CASanta Cruz, CASanta Fe, NM

Santa Maria, CASanta Monica, CASanta Rosa, CASavannah, GAScottsdale, AZSeattle, WASioux City, IASouth Bend, INSpokane, WASpringfield, ILSt. Cloud, MNSt. Johns, MISt. Joseph, MOSt. Paul, MNSt. Petersburg, FLStockton, CA

Sugar Land, TXTampa, FLTempe, AZThousand Oaks, CAThousand Palms, CAToledo, OHTopeka, KSTucson, AZUnion City, CAUrbana, ILVallejo, CAValparaiso, INVancouver, WAVentura, CAVisalia, CAWashington, DC

Waterloo, IAWenatchee, WA

STILL MORE cities with dedicated revenue for transit …

No dedicated funding means losing millions in federal match funding and grants.

What will this cost me?The cost depends on your home value:

The 10.6 millage is less than the BREC, library

or public school millage.

Accountability• Publicized and Scrutinized

Accountability ScorecardBenchmarks MeasuredQuarterly Performance ReportsReview by Board and Public

Accountability

Why Now?Shift Starts At Must Be At Transit Stop

6 am 3:30 am7 am 4:30 am

Class Starts At Must Be At Transit Stop8 am 5:30 am

Day Ends At Arrive Home At5 pm 7:30 pm6 pm 8:30 pm7 pm 9:30 pm

Average Wait Time is 75 Minutes ► Average Travel Time 1 Hour

“We have job opportunities. But if people can’t get to the opportunities, there might

as well not be opportunities.” Adam Knapp

President and CEOBaton Rouge Area Chamber

Securing broad support

• Focused on transit-dependent households

• Built a GOTV army through Civic Academies

• Conducted detailed voter analysis

• Precinct leadership structure and precinct teams

• Intense, 5-weeks of GOTV (walks, phone calls, yard signs)

Get out the vote

• This was a campaign led by civic sector – diverse partners• Know your partners roles and capacities• Know your politics• Communication is key• Did not waver from components – voters knew what they were buying• Outreach, outreach, and more outreach• Respond to opponents – but don’t waste energy• Focus on win – who will vote

Lessons Learned

• Re—emergence of BR Transit Coalition• Monitoring system performance and accountability• Keep community engaged• Need to see early delivery on campaign promises

It’s not over --until it works

BUILDING BROAD COALITIONSRachel DiRestordiresto@cpex.org

WWW.CPEX.ORG

WEBSITE FOR BR TRANSIT COALITION:http://brtransit.blogspot.com