by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
There will likely be several referendums on the ballot Nov. 2, but one may affect local voters more than any other because it’ll ask voters about moving next spring’s elections.
Moving the elections from March 22 and May 17 to the fall of 2011 will cost the City money. Exactly how much hasn’t been determined, but per State Statute, the financial impact of any referendum must be explained to voters and that explanation must be in the form of a 75-word or less financial impact statement on the ballot.
Tuesday, a City committee formed to draft that statement took an hour to come up with the following that will appear on the Nov. 2 ballot: “The direct financial impact this amendment will have on local government revenues and expenditures is expected to be minor.”
The committee was chaired by Council Auditor Kirk Sherman and included Peggy Sidman of the Office of General Counsel, City Council President Richard Clark, Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland and Director of Finance and CFO Mickey Miller.
As Holland said last week, moving the election about six months, which would also extend the terms of current elected officials by six months, will cost about $98,000. That cost will be mostly borne in the training of call center employees who will be hired a few weeks before the election and stay on well after the election. If the election is moved, the City also will incur about $14,000 in expenses related to elections in Atlantic Beach.
Last week, the committee was hesitant to approve the financial impact statement because Holland didn’t have any statistical information regarding call center retention. According to figures Holland provided Tuesday, 48 people worked in the call center in 2006 and none of them returned for the 2007 election cycle. Of the 57 call center employees hired for the March 20, 2007, election, all of them were new. Twenty-six of them returned for the May 15 election.
In 2008, there were three elections and about 64 percent of the call center employees were retained.
Holland said only so much can be assumed about call center employee retention since it’s a full-time job, but for only part of the year. The typical call center employee is looking for work, between jobs or retired. Because someone works an election doesn’t mean they can be counted on to return several weeks or months later.
Sidman brought several examples of financial impact statements from referendums that have been on ballots across the state. Some were fairly specific in their wording, others were very simple.
Sidman said none of the examples included specific dollar amounts, but they did all include whether the referendum would mean an increase or decrease in cost or be revenue neutral.
“I do want to get it out there we do expect a minor increase,” said Sherman, adding that increase is part of a nearly $1 billion budget. “I want the public to understand we are receiving less and paying out a little more.”
Miller pointed out the overall potential increase is only about 3 percent of the amount currently budgeted for the election. He also supported a simple financial impact statement that voters would read and understand.
“It (the statement) touches both sides (revenues and costs), gives no detail and it’s correct,” he said.
What elections cost
Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland provided the ad hoc committee with election costs dating back to the three elections held in fiscal year 2006-07. The following is a break down of those costs
2006-07 (four elections: general, first, second, special primary)
• Salaries, part-time — $2,787,479
• Salaries, overtime — $275,201
• Postage — $292,989
• Rentals (land and building) — $95,847
• Printing and binding — $782
• Advertising and promotion — $154,822
• Miscellaneous services and charges — $665,409
• Office supplies, other — $701,567
• Total — $4,974,096
2007-08 (two elections: special general, primary)
• Salaries, part-time — $1,571,442
• Salaries, overtime — $284,763
• Postage — $503,426
• Rentals (land and building) — $61,960
• Printing and binding — $39,982
• Advertising and promotion — $121,517
• Miscellaneous services and charges — $265,988
• Office supplies, other — $436,211
• Total — $3,285,289
2008-09 (two elections: general, special primary)
• Salaries, part-time — $1,376,225
• Salaries, overtime — $141,060
• Postage — $343,143
• Rentals (land and building) — $44,210
• Printing and binding — $54,322
• Advertising and promotion — $122,787
• Miscellaneous services and charges — $226,270
• Office supplies, other — $259,683
• Total — $2,567,700
What they could cost
Holland also provided a breakdown of the costs if the elections are held in the spring or if voters approve moving them to fall of 2011.
Spring (two elections: first, second)
• Salaries, part-time — $676,185
• Salaries, overtime — $171,195
• Postage — $170,880
• Rentals (land and building) — $27,000
• Printing and binding — $18,020
• Advertising and promotion — $12,000
• Miscellaneous services and charges — $260,900
• Office supplies, other — $176,800
• Total — $1,512,980
• Total for both elections — $3,025,960
Fall (two elections: first, second)
• Salaries, part-time — $738,185 ($676,185 for second election)
• Salaries, overtime — $207,677 ($171,195)
• Postage — $170,880
• Rentals (land and building) — $27,000
• Printing and binding — $18,020
• Advertising and promotion — $12,000
• Miscellaneous services and charges — $260,900
• Office supplies, other — $176,800
• Total (first election) — $1,611,462
• Total (second election) — $1,512,980
• Total for both — $3,124,442
356-2466