news-record.com

GREENSBORO - The yellow-and-pink mobile billboard is rolling across town. The postcards have been delivered to mailboxes.

And a four-time Olympic gold medalist has thrown her weight behind the effort.

But will it be enough to pass Greensboro’s $205 million worth of bond projects?

Bond backers are hopeful, despite conceding this has been a tough election.

Greensboro voters are being asked to approve $134 million worth of transportation projects, $50 million for a War Memorial Auditorium renovation, $20 million for parks and recreation projects and $1 million for housing initiatives.

As early voting continues through Saturday and Election Day approaches Tuesday, bond proponents are making their final marketing pitches, soliciting last-minute donations and recruiting poll volunteers to talk to voters right before they cast their ballots.

Dire economic conditions have voters thinking twice about saying yes to the bonds — and have made it tougher to raise money to support the bond campaigns.

During the last city bond round in 2006, the Greensboro bond referendum committee collected about 100 contributions from individuals or businesses supporters.

This year the committee raised roughly the same amount of money. But half of the campaign funds — $64,500 in cash and in-kind contributions — came from one source, Action Greensboro, an economic development supporter.

“A lot of businesses weren’t prepared to donate,” said Betty Cone, the long-time treasurer of the Greensboro bond referendum committee. “They responded more slowly than we would have liked.”

This bond campaign has been a dispersed effort. From the beginning, proponents of four issues launched their own promotions, unlike the joint campaign in 2006.

The campaigns have ranged from grass-roots efforts to professional marketing.

The parks and recreation bond supporters, who received less money from Action Greensboro than other bond issues, solicited the three city swim associations to pay for the green-and-yellow yard signs.

And supporters are getting a little help from their friends.

Dara Torres, who has competed in five Olympiads, sent a letter of support for the parks and recreation bond.

“Sport and play are critical to a healthy, happy existence,” wrote Torres, whose former coach, Kevin Thornton, now teaches swimmers in Greensboro. “The community that provides active opportunities for its citizens — especially its children — is a better community.”

Proponents are promoting all the items included in the bond — as opposed to highlighting the big-ticket item, the $12 million competitive swim center. A swim center has failed at the polls twice.

Real estate groups and the Greensboro Housing Coalition have teamed to boost the $1 million housing bond, which could be used for programs such as foreclosure-prevention education.

“This is the most likely bond to pass,” said Marlene Sanford, president of the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition.

“It is clearly a basic necessity.

“There are no questions as to whether there are any fluffy luxuries involved in it.”

Supporters have mailed postcards to likely voters. Proponents of the transportation bond have literally rolled their campaign around town.

The bright yellow-and-pink rolling billboard urges voters to pass the $134 million for transportation projects, “Because flying cars are not an option.”

The bond package would fund dozens of road, greenway, trail, sidewalk and intersection upgrades.

“It’s an important time to invest in the community, probably even more so because we are in the current economic climate,” said April Harris, executive director of Action Greensboro, whose downtown greenway project will get a $7 million boost if the bond passes.

War Memorial Auditorium supporters are also pressing voters to think long-term in their vision and invest in the city’s infrastructure.

“When you are in a tough economic time, it is hard to have that vision,” said Dennis Stearns, who has helped to promote the auditorium renovation.

“It’s hard to recognize that you have to dig your well before you are thirsty.”

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com