County attorney outlines legal limits for bond education committee

Morgan Pierce, Orange County's attorney, told the School Bond Education Committee on July 25 that county resources may be used for voter education but not to lobby for or against a bond measure. "You cannot lobby using county money. Educating our community and potential voters is allowed," Pierce said.

Pierce urged committee members to evaluate two questions before communicating about the bond: whether public funds are being used and what kind of communication is planned. He also said that committee members may speak in their individual capacity but must be clear that they are not speaking on behalf of the county. "In your individual capacity you can say whatever you want. However, you must be sure to be clear you are speaking in an individual capacity," he said.

Pierce cautioned the committee not to guarantee specific projects as part of education materials. "It is important to avoid guaranteeing any specific project. For instance, you can say we are going to improve security for our schools. But you cannot say we are going to install cameras at Cedar Ridge High School," Pierce said, underscoring the difference between describing programmatic goals and promising site‑specific work.

The advice came early in the committee's work as members discussed the group's charge and how to coordinate communications. The attorney told members to seek guidance from the County Attorney's Office when in doubt.

The committee recessed to discuss next steps for outreach and a draft scope of services for public relations support; it scheduled its next meeting for Aug. 20.