The Challenge

The City of Brawley faced growing financial pressure as rising costs outpaced revenue. Despite years of fiscal prudence, including deferred spending and meeting budget reserve goals, the City projected an ongoing structural deficit. Without action, Brawley risked having to reduce essential services like police, fire, infrastructure maintenance and programs for youth and seniors. Grants that funded critical public safety roles were expiring, and staffing shortages threatened the City’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies, homelessness and drug-related issues. In response, the City Council voted to place Measure J, a 1% transactions and use tax, on the November 2024 ballot, designed to raise approximately $3.8 million annually.

Our Approach

The City partnered with Tripepi Smith to build an informed and engaged electorate prior to any measure being on the ballot. Tripepi Smith enlisted FM3 to conduct a comprehensive community-wide survey in March 2024 to understand the most important issues to Brawley residents. This provided foundational research for our strategy and identified key community priorities.

The City’s goal was to inform Brawley residents about the budget process and be as transparent as possible about the financial challenges ahead while also addressing the needs that were the most important to them. Using the survey results, Team Tripepi Smith helped the City develop a robust outreach plan that included three town hall meetings to explain the process and highlight how the City is investing in public safety and other resident priorities. To maximize attendance, Tripepi Smith created social media announcements, utility bill inserts and informative press releases that used imagery and messaging in English and Spanish.

Our pre-ballot education deliverables included:

  • 3 press releases: community survey, budget process and budget adoption for FY 24/2025
  • 1 utility bill insert on the City’s current financial state
  • Social media posts on the survey results and the budget process, in both English and Spanish
  • 1 dedicated webpage with financial overviews
  • 1 virtual community meeting about the budget process

Once Measure J was adopted by the City Council and officially placed on the November 2024 ballot, Tripepi Smith pivoted the City’s messaging to be strictly educational about the Measure itself and how the pass/fail of the measure would affect residents. We highlighted community priorities and how those priorities may be affected by leveraging:

  • A press release on the Measure being placed on the ballot
  • A dedicated social media campaign, including posts on multiple platforms about the details of the measure, in both English and Spanish
  • Two in-person community engagement meetings
  • One animated video that explained the measure in both English and Spanish
  • A utility bill insert on the Measure
  • A dedicated webpage with financial overviews and Measure FAQs
  • City Council talking points to ensure education efficacy
Results

The educational town halls, bilingual social media content and animated video successfully engaged Brawley residents. Measure J passed with a majority vote of 64%. The 1% sales tax, effective April 2025, is projected to generate $3.8 million annually. This funding will help maintain 911 response times, support police and fire services, repair local streets and sewers and invest in community programs like gang prevention and youth activities.

By focusing on transparent, factual outreach and making the City’s fiscal realities understandable to everyday voters, Tripepi Smith helped Brawley achieve a sustainable path forward, without sacrificing the services that make the community thrive.