Mooij - SELC

1. 2014 NJ Clean Water and Open Space Dedication

2. • Legacy Program in NJ
• Strong public support
• Types of Past Measures
• Funds exhausted; Needs
• KIG Coalition Successes (2006, 2007, 2009)
History of Open Space in NJ

3. • Three-year legislative campaign hosted by TCC
• NJ Keep It Green Campaign
• NJA Coordinator
• TPL Chair
• Opposition from business community,
Americans for Prosperity
• State revenue shortfalls, fiscal concerns
2014 Legislative Overview

4. • Pushed for Gold Standard Funding Source
• Worked with Governor….
• Modified legislation
• Senate vs. Assembly
Strategic Decisions

5. • Lobbying effort
• Lobbying days
• Individual meetings
• Key targets and relationship
• Outreach
• Municipal resolutions
• Tabling events
• Member outreach
• Communications
• Media Consultant
• Social Media
• Ed Boards, Pressers, LTEs and Op-Ed
Grassroots Outreach and Lobbying

6. Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet.
• Strong Champions
• Political Capital
• Perseverance and Commitment
• Windfalls
Three votes in the Senate over a year.
Final vote in Assembly August 4th, exceeded
3/5 super-majority in both chambers
Luck

7. “CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT DEDICATING STATE FUNDS FOR
OPEN SPACE, FARMLAND, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND
CHANGING EXISTING DEDICATION FOR WATER PROGRAMS,
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS, AND HAZARDOUS SITE CLEANUPS.”
“Do you approve amending the Constitution to dedicate certain State revenues each
year for environmental programs?
The Constitution now dedicates four percent of the money collected from the
Corporation Business Tax to help pay for some environmental programs.
This amendment raises the amount from four percent to six percent beginning on
July 1, 2019.
The amendment also changes, beginning July 1, 2015, some of the programs funded
by the current dedication.
The new dedication would be used mostly to preserve and steward open space,
farmland, historic sites, and flood-prone areas.
Funds would also be used to improve water quality, remove and clean up
underground tanks, and clean up polluted sites.
Lastly, the amendment dedicates money received from leases and other uses of State
open space lands to pay for open space, farmland, and historic preservation.”
Ballot Language

8. Polling- June 2014, FM3 & POS

9. Polling: Impact of Messaging

10.  Target the following groups for turnout, and
to make sure they vote down the ballot:
o Democratic men
o Democrats (especially those 55 and older)
o Women 18-54 years old
o Independent/other party women
o Middle income voters ($60-$100k)
o Voters in the Northwest region
Targeting

11. Registered Voters: 5,469,766
3,366,021 Households, 1.6 voters per household
Turn-out in 2010 November General Election- 42%
(last similar Election, mid-term Congressional)
5,469,766 (voters) x .42 (projected turn-out) x .52
(majority +2% margin)= 1,194,697 votes to win
746,685 voter households
Vote Goal

12. • Extremely short time-line
• Raised/spent approx. $1 million
• Americans for Prosperity spent less than $100K
• Paid Communications
• Three pieces vote YES mail (300K hh)
• Three pieces educational mail (350K hh)
• Voter-targeted digital ads (4 weeks)
• Addressable cable ads (1 week, 1,300+ spots)
• Phones- educational and vote YES
• Radio ads
• Earned Media, Events
Public Campaign

13. • Majority of campaign funds from NGOs (TPL,
TNC, NJA, Land Trusts)
• Two $50K individual donors
• House Party- $33,500
• Foundation grants over $350,000
Fundraising

14. Communications Budgets
3 Vote YES Mailers- $387,000
Digital Ads- $75,000
Cable Ads- $108,649
Web and Social Media- $10,000
YES Phones- $39,511
Radio Ads- $4,770
Materials- $12,000
Earned Media- $10,000
TOTAL YES: $646,930
3 Educational Mailers- $212,000
Educational Phones- $46,000
Educational Radio- $35,000
NJLCVEF Canvass- $60,000
TOTAL EDUCATION: $353,000

15. • KIG Coalition Pass Through Grants
• NJLCV Telephone Town Hall
• NJLCV Educational Canvas
• Web Videos, Tabling, Information Sessions, Flyers
Other Outreach Efforts

16. Consultants
Chadderon Group- Vote YES mail
Groundswell Public Strategies- Digital Ads
JRS Strategies- Web and Social Media
Hamburger Company- Cable
Stone’s Phones- YES Phones
Wampold Strategies- Educational Mail
Chism Strategies- Educational Phones

17. Direct Mail

18. Digital Ads
On-line video- $50,000
Display ads- $15,000
Social media & search ads- $10,000
3.9 million total impressions

19. Results
Actual turn-out 36%
Votes cast 1,955,042
Votes cast on Question 2 1,428,152
(27% drop-off)
Total YES votes 925,121 (64.8%)
In 2009, statewide drop-off on the bond
measure was 32%