In rural, largely unincorporated areas, it is often more difficult to gain the level of support needed to pass a bond because the tax burden tends to be higher for these residents. After three failed attempts, the district re-thought their process, worked with Nelson Research to survey their community and discovered they could win using the right strategy and the right messages. Through a lot of hard work and creativity the district came up with the slogan VOTE (Vote Oregon Trail Education). Their work paid off. In November 2008 the Oregon Trail School District successfully passed a $114.9 million bond measure despite the hefty $2.35 per thousand tax increase.
