Seeking Measure J Fellow Contra Costa County

Bike East Bay seeks a part-time intern to work on Contra Costa County’s Measure J transportation sales tax reauthorization. This part-time, paid position will gain valuable experience in Transportaion planning, political decision making, community outreach and working with a diverse group of stakeholders on a unique ballot measure initiative planned for 2016. Compensation is $12.50/hr for up to 20 hours a week for the summer.

High-Level Goals:

• Secure 15% of funding for bike ped projects
• High quality transit investments
• A cooperative coalition working together
• A realistic strategy for winning reauthorization

The Measure J Fellow will work on the reauthorization of Measure J in Contra Costa County. Measure J is Contra Costa’s current ½ cent sales tax for transportation and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) wants to increase this to one cent and extend the Measure beyond 2034, its current expiration. Such an extension and augmentation will net an additional $2.3 billion for transportation in Contra Costa County. In 2015, the Measure J Fellow will work with our Coalition of groups on developing support for an Expenditure Plan that we can all support, which will require more funding be directed to transit, walking, bicycling and open space preservation, than the current measure. This will require a lot of work on our part.

This is a part-time position that will provide the Measure J Fellow with firsthand experience in transportation planning and programming, in a diverse environment ranging from more urban West Contra Costa County to more suburban and rural eastern Contra Costa County. The Measure J Fellow will also gain community organizing experience working with local stakeholders and interest groups, building their support for a robust network of comfortable bikeways attractive to people of many different ages and abilities throughout Contra Costa County. As part of this work, the Measure J Fellow will also gain experience in election campaigns.

The hours for this position are up to 20 hours a week starting in June through to the end of Summer, working with our Advocacy Director Dave Campbell and with other Bike East Bay staff, interns, volunteers and board members.

Specific responsibilities include:

1. Measure J Transportation Expenditure Plan Development

   1. Research Needed

      1. Past Campaigns

         1. 2004 campaign analysis: study results of 2004 campaign and what worked and where

         2. 2012 Library fee campaign (got 61% support): what does this campaign teach us about voter sentiment?

         3. Measure B1 and BB in Alameda County

      2. Other relevant surveys

         1. Chambers of Commerce: how do they see transportation helping their members

         2. Real estate companies: how do they market their properties related to transportation

   2. Campaign Materials Needed

      1. good map of what Bike East Bay wants (for Campaign page and Summer newsletter)

      2. stories of Contra Costa residents who use/would use regional trails

      3. how bikes and transit go together

   3. Project Work

      1. 680 High Capacity Transit Study

      2. 80 High Capacity Transit Study

2. Campaign Team Groundwork

   1. Coordinate communications with Measure J Coalition

   2. Set agendas for regular meetings

   3. Outreach at specific events to recruit volunteers for campaign

   4. Help set up meetings with key decisionmakers

The Measure J Fellow will gain professional experience in a grassroots organization, experience working with city staff and elected officials, and experience working with a growing, effective non-profit organization that is part of a significant change taking place in America. Academic credit can be arranged by working with your academic institution’s internship program.

Requirements

Essential

• Strong writing and communication skills and experience
• Strong organizational skills, including working with databases, task management, scheduling events/meetings, following up with partners and volunteers
• Basic knowledge of the types of bicycle facilities found in cities of the East Bay and in other bike-friendly cities around the country
• Be a self-starter able to take initiative on individual projects, understand the goals, stay on task, and ensure successful completion
• Ability to travel around via bicycle and transit to various parts of East Bay
• Ability to work remotely from the office when needed
• Outgoing, dynamic, and flexible personality
• Strong oral communication skills and leadership skills—must speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations and demonstrate group presentation skills
• Dependability—must arrive consistently at work and on time, follow instructions, and respond to directions in a prompt manner

Helpful

• Social media experience
• Graphic design and layout
• Previous grassroots work experience
• Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese language skills
• Familiarity with the geography (actual and political) in the East Bay

• A flexible schedule

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to Bike East Bay Advocacy Director Dave Campbell, at [email protected]. Applications accepted until position filled. More information on Measure J can be found on the CCTA’s website here.