Creating a Self-Sufficient Extension Council for Sustainable Funding

MU Extension MU Extension District Option District Option Creating a self-sufficient extension council

Why choose the district option? Why choose the district option? County commissioners have budget constraints County allocations account for 50% of county council budgets Balance of budget comes from: Fees Grants Contracts Giving In-kind support

Cost to effectively run an office: $50,000 60,000/year Office support YPA cost share Rent Utilities Travel Office supplies Printing Copying Marketing

Councils can no longer rely on county allocation as the major source of funding for local programs District option puts the future of county extension programs in the council s hands

Whats the incentive? What s the incentive? County can form single- or multi-county districts Share resources Lower costs Possibly one office serving both counties

District can ask voters for a property tax levy to fund programming Up to $0.30 per $100 assessed evaluation (local assessment only) Amount should be based on a 5-year plan for the local MU Extension center (your council s vision)

County commissioners If amount generated by tax levy exceeds 200% of the last three years average allocation: Commission not required to continue funding If tax levy passes, commission can reduce current year allocation by 33%, based on allocation

Calculating potential tax generated Calculating potential tax generated Calculation must be done ONLY on locally assessed property Centrally assessed: Utilities, railroads, and other entities that provide services where property and equipment cross multiple counties across the state. Locally assessed: Total of personal and real property assessed at the local level Locally assessed value can be obtained from the county assessor.

How tax is calculated: (Total locally assessed property/100) x levy amount = Tax generated Dade County levy @ $0.10 per $100 ($103,204,850/100) x .10 = $103,205

Tax calculations Tax calculations Plan for the future five years out Total Locally Assessed Evaluation Funds to Raise Levy $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 124,943,110.00 200,000.00 $ 175,000.00 $ 150,000.00 $ 100,000.00 $ 75,000.00 $ 60,000.00 $ 50,000.00 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.04

You do not have to collect the entire levy until it is necessary. Levy set at $0.10/$100 of locally assessed valuation District can choose to assess and collect at $0.05/$100 until additional funds are needed

Form a district Form a district single county single county First step: Council must vote to form a district Forming an extension district must be part of the agenda. All sitting council members must be present at a legally posted council meeting.

A motion must be made in the form of a resolution to be adopted to form a district. Vote is to be taken like any other motion it requires a majority to approve. Motion, resolution and vote must be recorded in council minutes. County council also becomes the district council. District council forms its own bylaws and meets quarterly.

Form a district Form a district multi multi- -county county All sitting council members must be present at a legally posted council meeting for each participating county. Forming an extension district must be part of the agenda.

A motion must be made in the form of a resolution to be adopted to form a district. Vote is to be taken like any other motion. District resolution must pass with a majority vote in each of the participating counties. Motion, resolution and vote must be recorded in council minutes.

District council Composed of three to five representatives from each county for 2-year terms (maximum of two terms) Meets at least quarterly and creates separate bylaws County councils stay intact

Tax levy Tax levy District council submits question of tax levy to voters Can be no more than 30 cents/$100 assessed valuation Each county in the district must pass the tax levy for it to pass Must be on April ballot

Costs associated with putting the question on the ballot will be paid by the district Council funds can be used to put the question on the ballot The campaign for the levy must be funded with private funds District council should form a committee that includes stakeholders and other non-council advocates

Campaign should be conducted as close to the election as possible. When planning, check to see if other tax levies or bonds will be on the ballot. If so, you may want to wait a year

CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN Develop the case or vision Develop the case or vision Need to develop the core reason why people should vote YES The idea needs to be inspiring. What will MU Extension programming and service look like in five years?

What is the impact? Community or county MU Extension program effort Local people What problems are being addressed?

CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN Why should people care? Why should people care? What is the vision? What do you think the ideal overall MU Extension program looks like in your county? Description of programs and services to be offered Faculty and resources needed Include participation data

Why does MU Extension exist in this county beyond the statutory responsibility? Current programming and impact Impact in the community (behavior change, revenue generated, youth in 4-H, other metrics that indicate MU Extension helped make change

What impacts would the county miss, if MU Extension could not provide current programming or if the county could not achieve the ideal MU Extension program? Impact to youth, business, agriculture, community and personal health and fitness Other impacts that occur through engagement and service

CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN vision statement vision statement A vision statement should show citizens of the district: issues you hope to address impacts MU Extension currently has, and will have in the future, with the help of the tax levy

Explain the needs and issues the organization seeks to meet, how you have and plan to meet that need, and what you could achieve with additional resources. What do you want to accomplish? Grab audience s attention Brief overview of your organization Clear statement of funding and resource needs Recent achievements or impacts in the community

District role after tax District role after tax Review district activities and district budget In conjunction with county councils By Sept. 1, determine the tax rate based on district budget needs

Oversee collection of tax Tax is collected by county officials and distributed to district special account/fund District disburses to county extension councils in the district according to budget

Tax levy vote in multi Tax levy vote in multi- -county districts county districts Majority of voters in the district must pass tax levy in each county If a county in the district does NOT pass the tax levy: Council can vote to withdraw from district a majority is needed. If remaining counties in district passed the tax levy, the tax can be imposed on those counties remaining in the district. Does not have to go back on ballot. Should be done as quickly as possible after tax levy fails.

Withdrawing from a multi Withdrawing from a multi- -county district county district County must submit a petition to the circuit court Must have 10% of the total number of voters in the last presidential election Petition must state that further operation of the district is contrary to the best interest of the citizens of the county and county seeks to withdraw Circuit court will hear evidence and decide if the question to withdraw should be sent to voters County council will pay the cost to put on April ballot

What can extension faculty and staff do? What can extension faculty and staff do? Council and district provide leadership Provide information and support Local data, needs assessment Education about district option advantages Help identify stakeholders for campaign (council and district will recruit)

Help craft the vision, or case Facilitate discussion Assist with design of promotion materials Assist with communication plan Extension faculty and staff CANNOT campaign for tax levy

Questions? Questions?