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City moves to publicize how $55 million geobond and sales taxes will be spent
Summary
City staff outlined a 'tax transparency' campaign to explain how a $55 million general obligation bond and existing sales taxes will fund infrastructure and services, using signage, social media, a dedicated web page and interactive maps.
City staff presented a communications plan to show residents how the recently approved $55 million general obligation bond and existing sales taxes will be spent, focusing on transparency, accessibility and consistent branding.
Rebecca Gannon, the city’s public information presenter, described a campaign with the working label "Your tax dollars at work" and a specific brand for the geobond called "Bond Built." The campaign will use road signs at project sites, monthly social‑media progress reports, short videos and a web page with project pages and an interactive ArcGIS map.
Why it matters: Voters approved a $55 million general obligation bond in April, and staff said the campaign aims to build trust by showing where and when projects start and finish and how tax dollars are allocated.
Key elements of the communications plan - Visual branding: Separate but consistent brands—"Your tax dollars at work" for general sales taxes and "Bond Built" for the geobond—will be used on signs, social media and the website. - Low‑tech outreach: In addition to online assets, staff proposed road signs at project sites and public meetings to reach residents who do not use social media. - Website and data: The city will create Tax 101 pages, sales‑tax breakdowns and capital‑project pages with plans for an interactive dashboard and ArcGIS map so residents can zoom to their neighborhood and see project status. - Content strategy: Regular progress reports, construction start notices and completed‑project stories; short videos and photos with staff and contractor faces to increase engagement.
Discussion and next steps Council members asked about reaching residents who are not online; Gannon said road signage and public meetings are core parts of the plan and that staff will coordinate with council offices to ensure messaging reaches constituents. The presentation concluded with council direction to continue work on campaign assets and begin project signage and web development.
Ending City staff said they will move forward with social content, signage and web development and return with additional details and timelines as projects begin.
