Case Study
Faced with an estimated $25 million structural deficit, The City of Santa Maria needed to explore a potential November 2026 ballot measure to fund essential services, including parks, libraries, youth programs, and homelessness response. City leaders needed to understand whether a measure was viable and how to build support in an environment shaped by competing priorities and concerns about cost of living.
City leaders sought insights into voter support for an additional tax, voters’ priorities for city services and spending, and how various types of messaging shaped public opinion. DHM designed a multi-mode survey to answer these questions holistically, reaching residents via live phone call as well as email- and text-to-online invitations. The survey was available in both English and Spanish to reach a broad and representative sample of voters.
Our insights enabled the City to move from a general need for funding to a clear, voter-informed path forward. We found that while the proposed revenue measure is viable, voter support is susceptible to how the measure is framed. Voter support increased when residents saw clear connections between the measure and specific community benefits. The findings also reinforced the importance of addressing voter concerns about government spending, and messages that emphasized fiscal accountability and local control of funds were most effective in garnering support. DHM’s research provided the City a clear roadmap to refine the measure and communications to better align with voter expectations, concerns, and priorities.
When Portland’s City Council had to navigate difficult budget shortfalls, they partnered with DHM to conduct a multilingual, citywide survey asking residents to make real-life tradeoff decisions between essential services and revenue options. Facing difficult spending cuts in the Spring of 2025, DHM yielded nuanced insights that helped leaders make decisions with community values in mind.
After a failed levy attempt for critical funding fell short, the City of Gresham turned to DHM to conduct in-depth research that uncovered voters’ concerns and priorities.
Working with Multnomah County, DHM helped explore community perceptions, priorities, and policy preferences related to homelessness and housing services.