Montgomery Public Schools Funding Referendum

Challenge

Montgomery had not approved a school property-tax increase in nearly 30 years. District facilities needed significant investment, but every audience approached the question differently. Parents focused on the immediate needs of their children. Business leaders considered workforce and competitiveness. Homeowners wanted clarity about the tax. Renters needed a reason to see school funding as a citywide concern.

The condition of Montgomery's public schools reflected decades of underinvestment. The campaign needed to explain the immediate facility needs without losing sight of what stronger schools could mean for the city's long-term stability and growth.

The campaign also unfolded during COVID, when in-person organizing and voter education were more difficult. Building support required a case that different constituencies could understand and trusted community leaders could carry.

Role

Tania Johns served as lead consultant to MGM Invest PAC, the committee supporting the referendum. The role spanned campaign strategy, research and issue development, fundraising, coalition development, stakeholder engagement, messaging and communications, radio advertising and ad buys, direct mail, vendor coordination, hiring and managing the field team, social media, public education, talking-point development, and engagement with elected officials and trusted messengers.

Approach

The strategy relied on direct community listening through neighborhood associations, community meetings, and sustained conversations with parents, faith leaders, business leaders, homeowners, renters, and elected officials. Research into Montgomery's school-funding history and the district's investment needs informed clear, consistent messaging.

Different audiences needed different entry points, but the underlying facts had to remain consistent. Message development connected the condition of school facilities with education, workforce, neighborhood strength, and the future of Montgomery.

Because no citywide campaign can reach every voter directly, the coalition equipped trusted messengers with accurate information and practical talking points they could carry into their own networks.

Outcome

The referendum passed on November 3, 2020, with approximately 61 percent of the vote. It established approximately $33 million in additional annual revenue for Montgomery Public Schools for 25 years, creating the foundation for hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term education investment.

Why it matters

The engagement shows how issue research, community listening, coalition building, trusted messengers, and disciplined message development can move a complex public investment from concern to action. The outcome depended on voters, community leaders, campaign partners, MPS leadership, and elected officials working toward a shared result.