Item 17 - Review of Proposed Charter Amendments

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Proposed Amendments to the City Charter of the City of Santa Ana June 18, 2024 Page 4 limitations, restrictions, and purchasing parameters of the city manager; specifies that the position of Police Chief will be an at -will position similar to all other department heads; and will require the City Council to adopt an ordinance setting forth the procedures to enforce the Ethics Code. The second ballot measure question is related to an amendment to change Council Compensation from the current amount of $12,000 per year paid at $1,000 per month to a monthly salary that is indexed to thirty-three percent (33%) of the salary of an Orange County Superior Court Judge which would be $78,696 or $6,558 per month. If approved by the voters at the November 2024 election, the amendments would take effect in January 2025. If the Council calls for the placement of ballot measures on the November ballot, at a subsequent meeting we will present necessary resolutions for the filing of written arguments in favor of or against such measure by members of the City Council, any individual voter eligible to vote on the measure, a bona fide association of such citizens or any combination thereof, and establishes deadlines for submission of such arguments to the City Clerk. The Elections Code specifies that members of the Council would be given preference and priority, if authorized by the City Council. The subject resolution would give that authorization to any member of the Council desiring to submit an argument. The procedures for filing ballot arguments are detailed in the Elections Code. The Election Code procedures, as well as general guidelines for preparing arguments will be provided in a notice prepared by the City Clerk and posted following final adoption of the election resolution(s). Whenever a City measure qualifies to be on a ballot, the City Council may direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure on the existing law and the operation of the measure (Elections Code §9280). The analysis is printed in the Voter Information Guide preceding the arguments for and against the measure. We will also prepare this request for a subsequent meeting, if the ballot measure questions are approved. FISCAL IMPACT The proposed FY24-25 General Fund budget includes current Council salaries for a total of $84,000. There is an unappropriated recurring revenue estimate of $328,020; which is sufficient to fund additional City Council compensation for January through June 2025, estimated to be approximately $233,436, should the measure be approved by the voters. The estimated cost from the Orange County Registrar of Voters to add a measure (3000 words and 2 pages) to the November 5, 2024 ballot is $8,500. Sufficient funds are available in the City Clerk's FY 2024/25 budget (Account No. 01107031 62300).