Lessons learned from Greenlight

Lessons learned from Greenlight

B2 principal Kyle Parks presented a session at the 2015 Transit Initiatives and Communities Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, sponsored by the Center for Transportation Excellence, on June 2.

The conference is conducted biennially to bring together transit agencies, local officials, transportation supporters, advocates, and ballot measure campaign professionals to discuss the latest information on transportation ballot measures.

The presentation focused on B2’s role in the unsuccessful “Yes on Greenlight” campaign for the Greenlight Pinellas referendum, which was on the Nov. 4, 2014 ballot. The Greenlight Pinellas plan would have dramatically improved mass transportation in Pinellas County by improving bus service and implementing a passenger rail system.

In handling media relations for "Yes on Greenlight," B2 helped facilitate a total of 1,424 news stories, with 80 percent positive or neutral.

Parks highlighted lessons B2 learned from Greenlight and tactics that may be successful in future transportation referendum campaigns, such as recognizing the challenges of seeking a tax increase, and the need to create a neighborhood plan with grass-roots outreach.

Attendee Paul Mackie provides a recap of the session, "A Playbook for Persuading People to Use Public Transportation."