Unlike the operating budget where only one board may have the authority to approve an annual operating budget, bond issues may take a two-thirds vote by a community at large. Capital expenditures are at the heart and soul of building the public works facilities of the future. The public works manager of the twenty-first century will not only require the skills to maintain, but the ability to plan, construct and gain the approval of major capital public works projects to insure the quality of the infrastructure for future generations. The following guidelines are designed to bring clues to public works professionals in successfully getting bond issues passed in a community. Despite what you, as a public works manager, believe the merits are for issuing a new bond, you will not be successful in fulfilling those needs unless you have convinced two-thirds of the community to think the way that you do.
Marketing plays a major role in getting a new bond issue approved.
The demand for capital funds across the community is always greater than the dollars available. Competition of agencies within one jurisdiction is a fact of life. Each agency always believes that their needs for new capital funding should be at the top of the list. Very often, the department that has the ability to effectively communicate these needs to the community stands a higher probability of success, than an agency that may have a greater need but is unable to communicate this requirement to the public effectively. There are primarily two types of bonds.