Poll shows majority support for Victoria community center improvements; council signals preference for May ballot

City consultants reported polling results on Jan. 28 indicating majority support for a proposed hotel- and rental-car-tax measure to plan, renovate and expand the Victoria Community Center; council members signaled they favored a May ballot if they proceed.

Consultants reported the poll of 300 registered voters had a margin of error of ±5.7 percentage points and used a mix of live interviews and text-to-cell invitations. In the initial, ballot-language-only question, 61% of respondents said they would vote yes and 28% said no. After respondents received randomized informational statements about proposed improvements and potential benefits, support rose to 72% with 21% opposed on the "informed" ballot, the consultants said.

Mike Bassilis, president and CEO of Bassilis and Associates, summarized the survey design and toplines and emphasized how specific messages moved respondents. "We did the survey to look at support for a possible ballot measure to impose a hotel tax and a rental car tax for planning, construction, and renovations for the Victoria Community Center," Bassilis said. He told the council that roughly half the sample responded by text and half by live interviewer, and that the informed messages increased support by about 11 percentage points overall.

Jason Meyer of Cooksey Communications, which coordinated the work, told council that the results provide a "roadmap for what an election campaign could look like" and stressed the need for a communications program even when poll numbers are favorable. "This is a snapshot in time," Meyer said. "You are still going to need to have a communications program and make sure that the messages do get out."

Council discussion focused on timing and outreach. City Manager Jesus Garza noted the city had received a letter from the state comptroller deeming the project would have "no negative financial impact on the state," a necessary procedural step to allow a venue tax measure to appear on a local ballot. Several council members said they preferred a May election rather than waiting until November to avoid a year’s delay; the transcript records that at least four council members indicated support for a May ballot during the meeting.

Council members and consultants also discussed which messages resonated with different voter subgroups (for example, older voters versus younger voters and those who recently attended events at the community center). Consultants recommended tailoring persuasive messaging by audience; they also cautioned that some messages (notably specific dollar figures for economic impact) can be omitted from an outward-facing campaign if staff cannot substantiate them to the public.

No formal action to call the election was taken at the Jan. 28 meeting. Staff noted the legal deadline for calling a May election and asked council whether they wanted the item placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting; council direction at the meeting was to prepare materials for a May ballot option and several members expressed support for moving forward in May, but the council did not adopt a resolution at this session.

City staff said they will continue community outreach and work with consultants on a communications plan if council formally directs staff to call an election.