Press Release - Fall 2002

For Immediate Release
January 3, 2003

Contact: John Fairbank, Richard Maullin
(310) 828-1183

IN A TOUGH YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS AND BOND MEASURES,
FAIRBANK, MASLIN, MAULLIN & ASSOCIATES FINDS A WAY TO WIN

The 2002 mid-term elections saw Republicans make historic gains and Democrats struggle across the country. In addition, voter turnout was at historic lows in many parts of the nation while a weak economic recovery and news of ballooning state budgets put voters in a sour and stingy mood regarding ballot measures for public spending. Nevertheless, even with this difficult political environment, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates (FMM&A) was successful in helping guide numerous candidates and ballot measures to victory in some of the nation's most highly contested elections.

Candidates aided by FMM&A prevailed in election contests at all levels of the ballot, from Governor to local, county and city officials. In California, FMM&A helped Governor Gray Davis win re-election to a second term after a long and hard-fought campaign. FMM&A also provided voter opinion research and consulting to California Treasurer Phil Angelides who also was successful in winning re-election, and Steve Westly who was elected California State Controller in his first try for elective office. FMM&A served as the pollster for Terry Goddard's successful campaign for Attorney General in Arizona, and FMM&A conducted polling for Jesse White who was elected Secretary of State in Illinois. FMM&A also provided opinion research and strategic advice to Democratic members of Congress in tightly contested districts in California and Texas, including Chris Bell who faced a particularly strong challenge. The firm also helped elect Sylvia Garcia as a Harris County (Houston) Commissioner, making her one of the highest-ranking Latina elected officials in the country. Other FMM&A-assisted candidates won for mayor and city council in various California localities and districts. FMM&A provided polling research for California Speaker of the State Assembly Herb Wesson on the budget and other policy issues, as well as for the election/re-election of Assembly candidates across the state.

FMM&A was also successful with important ballot measures for financing educational and health care infrastructure and services, extending environmental protections and restructuring Indian gaming. FMM&A helped California's Proposition 50, a major water and land conservation bond, win voter approval in spite of a tilt towards more conservative voters in California's low turnout election. FMM&A also aided the passage of Proposition 202 in Arizona, a ballot measure restructuring the framework for Indian gaming in that state, which also required defeating two competing measures. FMM&A also won significant victories with Arizona's Proposition 303 (a state tobacco tax), Nevada's Question 1 (a statewide conservation bond) and Florida Constitutional Amendment No. 6 (protection against second hand smoke health hazards in the workplace).

In addition, FMM&A provided voter opinion research and consulting for key local ballot measures, including Measure K, a 3.4 billion dollar bond for public schools in Los Angeles and Measure B, a property tax increment to sustain Los Angeles County trauma centers - the first property tax increase passed by voters since passing Proposition 13 in 1978. FMM&A provided strategic research to defeat San Fernando Valley and Hollywood secession (Measures F & H) in the City of Los Angeles. FMM&A also helped pass college construction financing measures in ten community college districts throughout California and other measures to finance local transportation, K-12 school construction, public library construction and park improvement projects in various California jurisdictions.

Key CCD=Community College District, USD=Unified School District, HSD=High School District, I=Incumbent