Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Carson, California, Measure CA, City Charter (November 2018)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Local ballot measure elections in 2018
Measure CA: Carson City Charter
LocalBallotMeasures Final.png
The basics
Election date:
November 6, 2018
Status:
Approveda Approved
Topic:
Home rule charter
Related articles
Home rule charter on the ballot
November 6, 2018 ballot measures in California
Los Angeles County, California ballot measures
Local governance on the ballot
See also
Carson, California

A measure designed to establish a city charter was on the ballot for Carson voters in Los Angeles County, California, on November 6, 2018. It was approved.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of changing the city of Carson from a general law city to a charter city.
A no vote was a vote against changing the city of Carson from a general law city to a charter city.

Election results

Carson, California, Measure CA, City Charter (November 2018)

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

15,390 56.69%
No 11,759 43.31%
Results are officially certified.
Source

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:[1]

Shall the measure, to adopt a CITY CHARTER to provide the People of Carson with greater local control, through provisions such as: limiting council authority to levy taxes, prohibiting favoritism and nepotism, banning marijuana dispensaries, regulations for redevelopment of contaminated sites, promoting economic development, regulating impacts of truck intensive business, prohibiting conflicts of interest or financial interests in City contracts, modifying methodology of compensation for council, imposing term limits on city council members, be adopted?[2]

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Carson City Attorney:

A proposed Charter for Carson is on the November 6, 2018 General Municipal Election Ballot in compliance with state law.

There are two types of cities in California, about 350 general-law and about 120 charter-law cities. Carson is currently a general law city. Residents of a charter city have greater local authority over their city than residents of a general law city. A charter can both limit and increase control over certain local issues, but a charter city must still comply with all laws considered matters of statewide concern. Examples of charter cities are Culver City, Long Beach, Signal Hill and Torrance. Carson’s proposed Charter imposes a number of limits and obligations on the Mayor and Council, while providing for more local control for residents.

Under the Charter, the Council’s ability to levy taxes on residents and businesses is more limited than under state law. The Charter imposes strict term limits on the Mayor and all Councilmembers. The Charter removes the City Clerk’s and City Treasurer’s term limits. If the population of Carson exceeds 100,000, by resolution, the Council may be enlarged from five to seven. The Charter prohibits conflicts of interest or financial interests by City-officials in City contracts. The Charter prohibits nepotism and favoritism.

The Charter authorizes formation of a Civil-Service Commission to process employment matters at City Hall. The Charter bans marijuana dispensaries in Carson. The Charter prohibits eminent domain of property currently zoned and used for residential purposes. The Charter provides for imposing mitigation fees on truck-intensive businesses. The Charter requires the City to consider the votes of mobilehome park residents regarding park closures and conversions. The Charter prohibits selling City-owned real-property valued over $2,500,000 without a two-thirds vote of the Council. Compensation for Councilmembers will be set at the “Low Income Limits” for a family of four as set forth in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Los Angeles area. The Charter prohibits the appropriation of funds in excess of $20,000,000 for capital projects unless approved by a two-thirds vote of the Council. The Charter requires Project Labor Agreements for projects larger than $500,000, mandates a local hiring preference program for Carson residents and paying of prevailing wages.

The Charter sets a goal for Carson to be a balanced environmentally responsible community, providing employment opportunities, retail services, recreational activities, and quality neighborhoods, while pursuing economic development. Specific goals include eliminating blight, encouraging private investment, improving public infrastructure, and causing the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated property.

Before the Charter was placed on the ballot, public input was received at 6 Council public hearings and at 11 public meetings of the Carson Charter Committee composed of varied Carson stakeholders, including residents, local businesses and three former Carson elected officials. The proposed Charter was placed on the ballot by the City Council.

The proposed Charter for the City of Carson requires approval by a majority of voters. A “Yes” vote approves the Charter. A “No” vote disapproves the Charter.[2]

—Carson City Attorney[3]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Carson, California.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. County of Los Angeles, "Current and Upcoming Elections," accessed September 30, 2018
  2. 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. City of Carson, "Election 2018," accessed October 5, 2018