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Voter Ballot Measure to Amend the City Charter <br />August 2, 2022 <br />Page 5 <br />2 <br />8 <br />6 <br />6 <br />Two New Items <br />Section 607: Budget Adoption <br />This amendment would change the voting requirement to approve the City budget from a <br />majority of the City Council to a two-thirds vote of the City Council. This change would be <br />consistent Section 609 relating to the two-thirds voting requirement to appropriate City funds. <br />Sections 401 and 404, and Proposed New Section 401.01) <br />This amendment would impose a “lifetime ban” by removing the eight-year cooling-off provision <br />(sections 401 and 404). This means that after a Mayor or member of the City Council has <br />reached their term limit (four 2-year terms for Mayor and three 4-year terms for Councilmember), <br />they would no longer be eligible to serve on the City Council. <br />The full text of each of the Charter amendments is attached to this staff report as Exhibit A to <br />the attached resolution (Exhibit 1). <br />Next Steps <br />The California Elections Code requires that the City Council adopt the attached resolution <br />(Exhibit 1) to place the voter ballot measure before the voters at least 88 days in advance of the <br />election. By adopting the attached resolution, the City will meet this deadline and have the voter <br />ballot measure before the voters at the November 8, 2022 General Municipal Election. <br />Second, the City may file written arguments in favor or against the voter ballot measure by <br />members of the City Council, any individual voter eligible to vote on the voter ballot measure, or <br />a bona fide association of such citizens, or any combination thereof. The Elections Code <br />specifies that members of the City Council may be given preference and priority. If the attached <br />resolution is adopted, any member of the City council who desires to submit an argument will be <br />able to do so. <br />Third, the City Council may direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the voter <br />ballot measure that explains the effect of such voter ballot measure on existing law and the <br />operation of the voter ballot measure. The impartial analysis would not exceed 500 words in <br />length. The impartial analysis would be printed in the voter information guide. This direction is <br />included in the attached resolution. <br />Finally, if the attached resolution is adopted, the Clerk of the Council would be required to file a <br />certified copy with the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the Registrar of Voters of <br />Orange County at least 88 days before the date of the election. Furthermore, as the City’s <br />elections official, the Clerk of the Council would be required to publish legal notices relating to <br />the General Municipal Election as prescribed by state law, along with other tasks. <br />Conclusion <br />The proposed voter ballot measure, if approved by a majority of qualified voters, would approve <br />all of these proposed Charter amendments. By placing the measure on the ballot, the City