Resource Library on Funds, Taxes, Tools and More from Funding The Next Generation

Section 1. Local children’s fund measures, campaigns and polls in California

Campaigns for local children’s funds in California

• Summary of California ballot measures through March 2020

March 2020

CITY OF SACRAMENTO – Voter-initiated set-aside of general fund

• Website of Sac Kids First
• Copy of Sac Kids First measure
• Sacramento campaign introduction mailer
• Sacramento campaign postcard

ALAMEDA COUNTY – Sales tax for early care and Oakland Children’s Hospital

• Fact Sheet on 2020 campaign
• Petition for the 2020 measure

2018

ALAMEDA COUNTY EARLY CARE CAMPAIGN FOR JUNE 2018

• Alameda Childcare Measure and powerpoint
• Fact sheet on the campaign
• Powerpoint on the campaign

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY MARIJUANA TAX MEASURE – November 2018

• Powerpoint presented by San Joaquin Alliance for Children
• RIVETING INFO: Poll on voter preferences on how marijuana tax funds should be spent – November, 2017, by Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates

CITY OF RICHMOND – Budget set-aside to create a Youth Fund, June 2018 + Real Estate Transfer Tax, November 2018

• Richmond power point on history of measure and lessons learned
• Richmond Kids First original ballot language, 2016
• Richmond Kids First revised ballot language, 2018
• Richmond Kids First Fact sheet, June 2018
• Richmond Real Estate Transfer Tax, November, 2018
• Richmond Real Estate Transfer Tax Fact Sheet, November, 2018
• Richmond Kids First fact sheet, 2016
• Richmond Kids First talking points, 2016
• The Early Richmond Story – powerpoint by Kimberly Aceves, Executive Director, RYSE Center
• City of Richmond Invest in Youth Coalition

SANTA CRUZ City and County – Increasing a city marijuana tax to create a Children’s Fund and utilizing marijuana resources to create a county early care initiative

• Statement by Santa Cruz City Councilmember Watkins on children’s fund
• Early care plan approved and funded by county Board of Supervisors – Thrive by 3

SAN FRANCISCO, June 2018

• Childcare Ballot Measure, 2018
• Fact sheet

YOLO, Marijuana general tax measure calling out kids

• Ballot language – Ballotpedia

Update on Local First 5 Commissions

• Slides from 2020 First 5 Summit

Emerging for the Future

POMONA CHARTER AMENDMENT – See poster

YOLO COUNTY PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE – Increasing sales tax through voter initiative

• Yolo Preschool Measure final draft, 2020
• The Yolo Story – powerpoint by Jesse Ortiz, Superintendent of County Schools, Yolo County
• Yolo County Children’s Movement

LONG BEACH – Invest in Youth Survey Results from Khmer Girls in Action

Ballot measure language for California children and youth funds – No need to re-invent the wheel

ONE-PAGER: Drafting a dedicated funding measure – one-page summary created by Funding the Next Generation on elements of a funding measure

DECISION POINTS in drafting a measure

EXAMPLES: (See above for Alameda, Richmond, Sacramento, and most recent San Francisco)

• SF Children’s Fund, 2000 reauthorization
• SF Children’s Fund, passed in November 2014 – includes increases in fund, services to transitional age youth, and greater oversight and planning
• Richmond Fund for Kids – June 2018 ballot
• Alameda County Early Care measure – June, 2018
• Yolo Preschool Measure final draft, 2020
• Yolo general marijuana tax city early care and youth development
• Napa Children’s Fund – draft of proposed set-aside, 2016
• Sacramento Children and Youth Fund – marijuana tax on ballot, June, 2016
• Solano Advisory measure for Solano Children’s Fund – accompanied a general sales tax, November, 2016
• Marin Measure A – special sales tax for a children’s fund, November, 2016
• Oakland Fund for Children and Youth legislation

Polling on funding measures for children and youth services – getting essential information on what the public thinks

Local polls and polling information with a local perspective

• The June 2018 Election and Funding for Children and Youth – power point presented by Dave Metz, Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates, June 2019
• Building Public Support for Investments in Early Childhood – updated polling information by Dave Metz, Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates, April 2017
• GOOD LOCAL MODEL: Solano County Children’s Issues Poll – a good model for a local poll on revenue, priorities and messages
• Napa County poll on children’s issues and revenue, 2016 – another local model
• San Joaquin poll on how to best spend marijuana dollars, 2017 – a great model on an important subject
• Dave Metz, FM3 Research – powerpoint, 2016 California Election and Funding for Children and Youth, Lessons learned
• What Polling Tells Us About Investing in Children, Youth and Families – a PowerPoint presentation by Dave Metz, Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates, September 2013
• Framing the Issues for Small Communities and Conservative Audiences – a PowerPoint presentation by Dave Metz, Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates, September 2014

Statewide

• FEATURE: Webinar on polling and Choose Children 2018 – with Margaret Brodkin, Pete Weldy, Director of Choose Children 2018, and Ben Tulchin, pollster – Jan. 24, 2018
• Slide deck on above webinar
• Choose Children 2018 – a statewide poll by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation on early care issues that could impact the 2018 election and governor’s race
• California Early Childhood Education Funding – a statewide poll conducted by the Latino Policy Coalition and the California NAACP – September 2017
• Voter Attitudes Towards Investing in Youth – a poll in Southern California by Fairbank, Maullin, Maslin, Metz and Associates, April 2017

National perspective

• Celinda Lake, Lake Research Partners – powerpoint on issues heading into 2016
• Polling on Children and Youth Issues: Best Practices – a one-hour webinar with noted pollster Celinda Lake, easy to register after click, with Forum for Youth Investment and Funding the Next Generation

Early organizing from around the state

San Francisco – 2 model measures: California’s first children’s fund and only universal preschool fund

Children’s Fund information

• QUICK SUMMARY: Children’s Fund fact sheet
• The San Francisco Children’s Budget Story with lessons learned
• Sandboxes to Ballot Boxes, the story of the Children’s Fund Campaign by Margaret Brodkin
• Legislative language creating the SF Children’s Fund
• Legislative language re-authorizing the SF Children’s Fund, passed in November 2014 – includes increases in fund, services to transitional age youth, and greater oversight and planning
• Overview of SF’s Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, which oversees the Children’s Fund
• Powerpoint presentation on history and lessons of SF Children’s Fund

Preschool for All information

• OVERVIEW: San Francisco’s Universal Preschool For All – program description and outcomes, presentation by First 5 San Francisco

History of early care local funding efforts in the Bay Area

• Summary – prepared by Ellen Dektar, Alameda County

2016 children’s fund campaign information

• Summary of results
• The Napa Story – powerpoint by Joelle Gallagher, Executive Director, COPE Family Center
• Napa’s launch powerpoint for Funding the Next Generation Napa
• Marin Expenditure Plan for its proposed sales tax measure
• Presentation on Marin’s progress towards getting a children’s fund on the ballot
• Solano County Children’s Fund campaign – a sales tax increase and an advisory measure

Information on running political campaigns

NOTE: Most of the information on campaigns is in our campaign manual, linked here: https://www.fundingthenextgeneration.org/nextgenwp/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Funding-the-Next-Generation-September2017-small.pdf

• How to set up a local ballot measure committee – by the Sutton Law Firm
• Ballot Measure Committee Legal Issues – by the Sutton Law Firm
• “Sidewalk Strategies: A Practical Guide for Candidates, Causes, and Communities” by Larry Tramutola’s, with a final chapter on “Winning Tax Elections” Third edition, 2012 – can be ordered on Amazon
• Children’s Fund campaign budget for 2014 campaign

Section 2. Taxes and Revenue Options for a local Children and Youth Fund

Drafting a measure: Laws, fiscal opportunities and process

SUMMARY AND WORKSHEET

Examples of dedicated revenue streams – one-page chart on revenue options, created by Funding the Next Generation

Decision matrix for developing a local dedicated funding stream

WHAT’S LEGAL? Local Government Funding Options for California’s Children, Youth and Family Services  – a white paper prepared by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.  This is the best overview of the legal options for creating new revenue streams for children and youth services in California.  It is a little outdated in that it does not include marijuana taxes, but it is a solid resource for basic information.

• Requirements for Common Local Government Funding Sources for Services for Children, Youth and Families – a chart summarizing the above white paper by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

INNOVATIVE FINANCING IDEAS – from Children’s Funding Project

• Report
• Power point of report

FUNDING OUR FUTURE – Report on Generating State and Local Tax Revenue for Quality Early Care and Education by Build Initiative, Center for American Progress, Childrens Funding Project, U of Maryland, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

OTHER RESOURCES FROM FNG CONFERENCE

• Basics of Drafting a Measure – PDF by Bradley Hertz, Sutton Law Firm
• Scope of considerations and potential challenges in drafting a measure – powerpoint by Harry Berezin of Remcho, Johansen and Purcell law firm
• Engaging Community in Drafting a Measure – powerpoint by Sara Kershnar, RYSE Center
• Developing Fiscal Strategy in Drafting a Measure – powerpoint by Ed Harrrington, former Controller of San Francisco
• Sample parcel and sales tax language, developed by Children’s Defense Fund, Cal.

Marijuana taxes – California’s most recent potential funding stream

• Overview of marijuana policy, taxing options, case examples in California 
• TEMPLATE YOU CAN USE: Power point for proposed local tax policy and children’s services – You can use this powerpoint as a model for your community.
• Power point by Youth-Forward – Social Justice and Marijuana taxes
• Position paper by First 5 Association of California – Impact of marijuana on young children
• San Joaquin County poll on how public wants marijuana taxes spent

Other resources on marijuana

• Risks of Perinatal Exposure
• Marijuana Risks – National Academy of Sciences
• Adverse Effects of Marijuana – New England Journal of Medicine
• Lessons from Tobacco for Developing Marijuana Legislative Policy – Barry and Glantz
• A Public Health Framework for Legalized Retail Marijuana Based on the US Experience: Avoiding a New Tobacco Industry – Barry and Glantz
• Marijuana – Executive Summary- Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado The Impact
• 2017 Report on impact of legalization in Colorado
• Marijuana taxes passed in California
• Humboldt Roadshow – summary of community input process about use of marijuana taxes

Soda taxes

NOTE! Local soda taxes are no longer legal in California, as a result of a “deal” made by the California legislature with the American Beverage Association and signed by the Governor on June 28, 2018.  The ban will be in place until 2030.

“Big soda” held California hostage in a move that can only be described as shameful blackmail.  The soda industry first funded a signature drive for a terrible measure for the November, 2018 ballot – a measure which would never again allow any local tax to pass with less than a 2/3 vote; and then told the Legislature that it would remove the measure from the ballot if local soda taxes were declared illegal in the state until 2030.  This is a vivid example of the influence of corporate money destroying democracy.

Link to LA Times article on the “deal.”

We have kept the following articles on the website for your information.  The video on the Berkeley campaign is particularly interesting in that it describes a model grassroots campaign.  The lessons are relevant to all types of grassroots campaigns.

• Berkeley vs. Big Soda website – latest information and links to videos (first video is great!)
• How Berkeley Beat Big Soda and Your City Can Too – a slide show prepared for Funding the Next Generation Learning Community
• Local taxes on sugary-sweetened beverages – A legal memo by Public Health Law and Policy
• Soda taxes – a study of the results of Berkeley’s soda tax

Section 3. Tools to Help with Planning and Strategizing

!Brilliant toolkit on local organizing for funding children’s services

• Local Funding for Early Learning: A Community Toolkit – written and published in Spring, 2016, by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation – contains worksheets, case examples and more, from budget analysis to ballot measures.  Applicable to all ages, not just early care.

Making the fiscal case for investing in children

• A GREAT OVERVIEW – Power point on Understanding Local Budgets in California, by Ed Harrington, former Controller of San Francisco and finance expert
• Research to Reality – report by Funding the Next Generation on cost-benefits of investing in children and youth
• ONE-PAGE SUMMARY of Research to Reality 
• One-pagers from the Heckman Equation Project on cost-benefits of spending resources on children:
  • Four Big Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Development – a report by the Heckman Equation Project
  • There’s more to gain by taking a comprehensive approach to early childhood development.  One pager by James J. Heckman
  • Building a Scaffolding of Support – an analysis of the economic benefits of early childhood education by the Heckman Equation Project

Youth Engagement

• Youth Engagement in Ballot Measures – handout
• NOTE: Youth Engagement in Ballot Measures – training prepared by Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth

Communication tips

• BEST! “Minding Our Words” – summary of research by Anat Shenker-Osorio about communication strategies for early care campaigns – Note from Margaret – “Best piece I’ve seen on how we talk about our issues.”
• Communicating Effectively about Taxes: A short powerpoint by Public Works
• Q & A on Funding Set-asides – how to answer hard questions from critics of “carve-outs” for funding for kids, prepared by Richmond Kids First campaign
• July, 2014 editorial by Margaret Brodkin supporting Children’s Fund reauthorization
• SAMPLE MAILER: Children’s Fund mailer for election 2014
• Children’s Fund TV ad for election 2014

Creating a local Children’s Budget – an important step in getting more money for kids

What is a Children’s Budget?  It can include many things, but its essence is a resource map of funding for children’s services.

• THE BASICS: Children’s Budgets – power point by Funding the Next Generation introducing the basics
• San Francisco Board of Supervisors resolution creating a Children’s Budget
• Template used by County Controller to collect information from City/County departments to create a Children’s Budget

How to map the resources in your local budget – This can be a year-long project, or several months, or less.  We recommend analyzing what you need to take next steps, getting all the help from public officials possible, and doing it as quickly as it takes to accomplish your goal.

WEBINAR ON UNDERSTANDING CALIFORNIA COUNTY BUDGETS, with Chris Hoene, ED California Policy and Budget Center; Ed Harrington, former Controller of San Francisco; and Margaret Brodkin, Director, Funding the Next Generation – July, 2017

• Webinar slides only

Other tools for mapping resources:

• Sacramento budget tracking form in preparation for establishing a department of youth
• Sacramento instructions for budget tracking form
• Guide for Mapping Public Resources for Children, The Finance Project
• Webinar on Resource Mapping for Children and Youth – sign into the Ready Talk link here and access excellent information from the Forum for Youth Investment
• Realignment Reality for Children’s Advocates: Local Control Demands Local Organizing – a one-page summary of opportunities and challenges by Reed Connell, Managing Partner, Policy and Advocacy, Social Change Partners, LLC

Budget advocacy – fighting for money for kids through the local budget process

• FEATURE: Get More Money for Kids in Your City and County Budgets – power point by Funding the Next Generation
• On Becoming a Budget Champion for Children by Margaret Brodkin
• Starting your journey as a budget champion, criteria for picking an issue
• Webinar slides on understanding local budgets in California: Follow the Money – July, 2017, with California Budget Project and Funding the Next Generation
• Understanding Local Budgets in California – slides from workshop by Ed Harrington in 2015 (still relevant)
• Budget Advocacy Workshop by Margaret Brodkin, March, 2018

Examples of Children’s Budgets and Children’s Bills of Rights

Cities and Counties in California

• San Francisco’s Children’s Budget, the document which led the way for the San Francisco Children’s Fund
• San Francisco Board of Supervisors resolution creating a Children’s Agenda (Bill of Rights)
• 2014 Solano Children’s Report Card, Children’s Network of Solano County
• Solano County’s Children’s Budget
• Solano County’s Children’s Agenda
• Solano County’s Board of Supervisors Resolution supporting a Bill of Rights for Children and Youth
• San Luis Obispo’s Children’s Bill of Rights
• GREAT MODEL: San Joaquin Children and Youth Bill of Rights
• MarinKids, Data and Action Guide summary
• Napa County Children’s Bill of Rights
• ANOTHER GREAT MODEL: Santa Clara County Children’s Bill of Rights
• San Mateo County Children’s Bill of Rights
• Los Angeles’s City Budget Training Primer, The Advancement Project
• Los Angeles County Budget Training Primer, The Advancement Project
• San Diego Children’s Budget

Cities around the country

• Philadelphia Children’s Budget
• Colorado Children’s Budget, Colorado Children’s Campaign
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Children’s Budget, Defining Our Investment in Children
• Oregon’s Comprehensive Children’s Budget, Early Learning Council
• Missouri, Youth Development Policy Handbook and Children’s Budget

National and state

• Children’s Budget 2012 (a national perspective), First Focus
• California Children’s Bill of Rights

Other Planning Tools – created by Funding the Next Generation

• NOTE: Decision matrix for developing a local dedicated funding stream
• Community discussion guide
• Work Plan Planning sheet
• Top 10 Places to Start the Journey

Section 4. State and National Information

Statewide issues and policies that impact local revenue challenges and opportunities

GOOD NEWS: CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT CASE THAT COULD IMPACT VOTER THRESHOLD NEEDED WITH VOTER-INITIATED TAXES – August 2017

In June, 2018, San Francisco became the first local community to test the California Supreme Court opinion that local revenue measures put on the ballot by voter-initiatives were different from those put on the ballot by elected officials, and that the same constraints on revenue measures did not apply.  Many concluded that meant local revenue measures placed on the ballot through signatures would need only a majority vote, rather than 2/3.  THIS IS A GAME-CHANGER for local communities and advocates proposing important revenue streams for needed services.  San Francisco’s Department of Elections certified as wins two revenue measures (one for childcare and the other for teacher salaries) that received 50.3% and 60% respectively.  San Francisco is prepared to defend any potential lawsuit.

• LA Times article on case
• Ballotpedia information on case
• Copy of court opinion filed August 28, 2017
• San Francisco City Attorney’s interpretation of the opinion

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS: SODA INDUSTRY TAKES CALIFORNIA HOSTAGE AND LEGISLATURE BANS SODA TAXES – IN EXCHANGE FOR TAXPAYER BALLOT MEASURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A 2/3 VOTE FOR ALL LOCAL TAXES BEING REMOVED FROM THE BALLOT.

• Article on “the deal”
• Taxpayer Protection Act 2018 – the measure filed by taxpayer associations undoing Supreme Court decision

IN THE FUTURE: STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURE TO CLOSE PROP 13 LOOPHOLE AND FUND SCHOOLS AND LOCAL SERVICES

• The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act
• Campaign website

California revenue and tax information

California’s laws are complicated and fully understanding all aspects of local revenue takes time.  Sometimes it’s just best to rely on financial and legal experts.  Funding the Next Generation will help you with that.  Meanwhile, we recommend the following as the best sources of information:

• California Budget and Policy Center
• California City Finance– run by one of California’s leading fiscal gurus, filled with information on everything from revenue, to ballot results, to budget processes
• Institute for Local Government– information on all aspects of local governance, including revenue
• Ballotpedia– lots of details about every measure passed, plus relevant laws related to ballot measures, and much more.

National Perspective

• FIRST NATIONAL WEBINAR ON DEVELOPING LOCAL DEDICATED REVENUE STREAMS, sponsored by Funding the Next Generation, Forum for Youth Investment, NAEYC, and National After School Association. Featuring Margaret Brodkin and Elizabeth Gaines
• Brookings Institution report on local communities investing in children, featuring dedicated funding streams
• OVERVIEW – Children’s Funding Project – link to website for national perspective
• Funding Brighter Futures: How Local Governments are Embracing Children’s Funding, Feb. 2017 – by Children’s Funding Project, Director Elizabeth Gaines
• Governing Magazine article on children’s funds

Dedicated funding streams around the country beyond California

• The Billion-Dollar Bet on a Community’s Future: How the Children’s Trust persuaded the 2.4 million residents of Florida’s largest county to tax themselves during an economic downturn
• Creating Dedicated Funding Streams, The Finance Project
• Seattle Families and Education Levy: 7 Year Summary
• Maryland Opportunity Compact (variation on social benefit bond)
• Ohio local tax measure for youth mental health services, 2014

Section 5. More about Funding the Next Generation

June 25, 2018 Conference in Los Angeles

• Conference Packet – chocked full of valuable information, including tools and materials on campaigns
• Overview Power Point by Margaret Brodkin – Lessons learned from 9 campaigns in California
• California Political Context – Analysis of polls on funding children’s services, by Dave Metz, FM4
• Kids First Richmond: Leading with our values by Jamileh Ebrahimi
• Understanding Local Budgets by Ed Harrington
• Revenue Options by Ed Harrington
• Santa Monica’s Unique Funding Strategies for Schools by Shari Davis

General information on Funding the Next Generation

• OVERVIEW: Fact Sheet on Funding the Next Generation
• Project Summary
• Project leadership and partners – our team
• Infograph

Lessons learned

• ! Review of Progress and Recommendations for future campaigns for Children’s Funds – powerpoint by Margaret Brodkin, Director, Funding the Next Generation
• Advice from successful campaign consultant, Larry Tramutola, on developing a children’s fund
• Final Report on Phase One of “Funding the Next Generation” – a report by Margaret Brodkin on accomplishments and conclusions

Newsletters – A Good Summary of Our Work and Lessons Learned

• March/April 2020 – Report on election results and Feb. 26 Statewide Convening
• October 2019 – Summary of Second National Institute
• July 2019 – Summary of Court hearing on voter threshold
• May 2019 – Open Letter to Governor and Measure updates
• December 2018 – Summary and Lessons from November 2018 Measures for Children’s Funding
• July 2018 – Summary of June 2018 Ballot Measures for Children’s Funding
• November 2017 – Updates on Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, marijuana, state measures impacting local taxing
• INTERESTING! October 2017 – Summary of communications training by Shenker-Osario, Brookings national report on children’s funds, and our new campaign manual
• February 2017 – Reflections on 2016 children’s fund campaigns, summary of outcomes and learnings
• May 2016 – Report on statewide conference, lessons learned, keynote by Newsom, perspectives of local elected officials on children’s funds
• January 2016 – Report on San Joaquin Bill of Rights, advice from political consultant Nicole Derse

Previous issues

• October 2015
• April 2015
• February 2015
• November 2014
• July 2014
• May 2014
• January 2014
• December 2013
• October 2013
• August 2013
• July 2013