1. COMMUNICATING WITH OREGONIANS ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCE
From Values and Beliefs to Effective Messaging Quickly
(I’ve Got Only 10 Minutes)
January 23, Prepared for: The American Leadership Forum

2. Understanding Values and Beliefs Understanding Priorities
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICAIONS ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCE
Understanding Values and Beliefs
Understanding Priorities
Knowing Awareness and Knowledge Levels
How People Get Information
Effective Spokespersons – Who Is Trusted and Has Credibility

3. VALUES AND BELIEFS
DHM | 3

4. Participation in family Career and job opportunity
VALUES AND BELIEFS-IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE
Participation in family
Career and job opportunity
Being charitable to others
Independence of self
Practice of religion and spirituality
Concern for the environment
Supporting your community
Being economical or thrifty
Seclusion, solitude, or privacy
Diversity of people

5. Continuing Divergence in Values and Beliefs Between Opinion Leaders
General Public
Highlight differences between opinion leaders and the general public

6. What do you value about living in Oregon? (Top answers)
VALUES AND BELIEFS
 What do you value about living in Oregon? (Top answers)
Outdoor recreation opportunities –proximity and variety
Natural beauty including open space, farmland, and forests
Water and air quality
Sense of community/neighborliness
Climate

7. Negativity Toward Government and Politics
VALUES AND BELIEFS
Negativity Toward Government and Politics
Waste and inefficiency (lack of accountability and transparency)
Not getting anything done
Not innovative/creative
Not comprehensive/long-range
Toothless laws/regulations
Reduction of government services
Waste (Mean of cents of every dollar is wasted
Partisanship
Lack of innovation
Regulation without teeth
Hopefulness
Not comprehensive
Not long-term
Less than 20% feel that any level of government is doing a good job

8. PRIORITIES Waste Partisanship Lack of innovation
Regulation without teeth
Hopefulness

9. Jobs/economic development
PRIORITIES
 What are the most important issues you want your local, regional, and state government to do something about?
(Top answers)
Jobs/economic development
Cost of healthcare
Public education
Taxes/cost of government
Traffic congestion

10. 1st Tier Accessible hospitals/health care
PRIORITIES
Which community value is most important to the quality of life where you live?
1st Tier
Accessible hospitals/health care
Accountable/honest city leaders
Community committed to quality education
Family oriented community
Financially balanced government
Local employment opportunities
Safe neighborhoods/parks

11. Which government service is most important?
PRIORITIES
Which government service is most important?
1st Tier
Affordable housing
Children’s services
Community colleges
Drinking water/sewer services
Employment/job training
Fire/emergency services
Health/mental services
Higher education
Police services/public safety
Primary/secondary education
Senior services
Services for low-income residents

12. Not top-of-mind appreciation for the contribution ABC’s of government?
AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE LEVELS
ABC’s of government?
6 in 10 Oregonians cannot name the three branches
of government
45% do not know Oregon has two U.S. Senators,
and two-thirds of Oregonians cannot name
Oregon’s U.S. senators
ABC’s of public finance?
40% do not know what the gas tax can be spent on and
what services the income tax pays for
Oregonians think an average of 36 cents of every
dollar government spends is wasted
What does government do?
Not top-of-mind appreciation for the contribution
the government makes to the quality of life
Over 50% cannot name the 3 branches of government
35% of the public don’t know or had an incorrect answer for how many United State’s senators Oregon has
Public Finance
40% can’t tell you what the gas tax is spent on
17% said public transit, 23% said don’t know
Income tax
40% said don’t know *

13. Segmented communications
HOW PEOPLE GET INFORMATION
Segmented communications
Newspapers - Community vs. Statewide
Daily Papers
Internet – Desktop, Mobile
Going to them- Learn, Work, Play, Pray
Newspapers: Community vs. Daily
Internet: e-government

14. List getting shorter and shorter
EFFECTIVE SPOKESPERSONS
List getting shorter and shorter
Small businesses
Education organizations
Foundations and charitable organizations
Other Considerations
Local vs. State vs. Federal Government
Women vs. Men

15. Connect through values, beliefs, and priorities
EFFECTIVE MESSAGING AND FINAL THOUGHTS
Connect through values, beliefs, and priorities
Keep it simple
Have effective spokespersons deliver message
Keep it local
Include transparency and accountability
Develop electronic government
Has potential to change public perception of
government