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Rio Vista, California, Appointed City Treasurer, Measure N (November 2016)
| Measure N: Rio Vista Appointed City Treasurer |
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| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 Approved
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| Topic: |
| Local election and voting laws |
| Related articles |
| Local election and voting laws on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California Solano County, California ballot measures City governance on the ballot |
| See also |
| Rio Vista, California |
A measure making the city treasurer an appointed position was on the ballot for Rio Vista voters in Solano County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of making the position of city treasurer an appointed position instead of an elected one, with the treasurer appointed by the city council. |
| A no vote was a vote against making the position of city treasurer an appointed position instead of an elected one, with the treasurer appointed by the city council. |
Election results
| Measure N | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 2,593 | 55.56% | ||
| No | 2,074 | 44.44% | ||
- Election results from Solano County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
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Shall the office of the City Treasurer for the City of Rio Vista be appointive?[2] |
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Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Rio Vista City Attorney:
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State law requires all general law cities, like the City of Rio Vista, to have a treasurer. The position may be appointed or elected. In the City of Rio Vista, the office of the City Treasurer is elected by the City voters to a four-year term. The current term of the City Treasurer ends in November 2016. Pursuant to state law, there are two qualifications for the position of elected treasurer: 1) the individual is required to be a resident of the City, and 2) the individual must be at least 18 years old. As an elected position, there are no minimum education requirements or professional qualifications. MEASURE N: APPROVAL OF MEASURE TO APPOINT CITY TREASURER "Shall the office of the City Treasurer for the City of Rio Vista be appointive?" YES _____ NO _____ "If the above measure fails, the candidate with the most votes shall be elected to hold the office of City Treasurer.”If a majority of the votes approve the above Measure, then the office of the City Treasurer will become an appointive office and such office will no longer be elected by the City voters. As an appointive office, the City Council would appoint a person to such office at the expiration of the term of the officer now in office, which is November 2016. As an appointive office, the City Council may, by ordinance, vest in the City Manager its authority to appoint such officer. Otherwise, that person will hold the office at the pleasure of the City Council. As an appointed position, the treasurer will not be required to be a resident of the City and may have to meet minimum qualifications or experience. If this Measure is approved, the City could save on expenses associated with this position, including, but not limited to, election costs every four years. If a majority of the votes do not approve the above Measure, the office of the City Treasurer will continue to be elected. The candidate with the most votes will be the elected City Treasurer for a four-year term. [2] |
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| —Rio Vista City Attorney[1] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[1]
- James Nordin, DPA, City Treasurer, City of Rio Vista
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[1]
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The City Treasurer function requires professional skills and expertise in municipal fund accounting, government reporting requirements, investment regulations and debt management; yet, State statute only requires that an applicant be at least 21 years of age and a resident of the city--criteria regarding technical or financial skills or experience are not factors. Municipal government and regulations have become more complex and the responsibilities of the City Treasurer require increasing levels of training and experience. Knowledge and experience in any or all of these areas can be criteria for an appointed treasurer – and may never be criteria for an elected treasurer. Assigning the treasurer duties to finance professional makes good sense. The duties can be assigned to a finance professional (CPA, CIA, etc.) who would have ethical and professional standards to which they swear (or affirm). Failure to follow those standards is cause for loss of their professional license and therefore loss of ability to earn an income. The City of Rio Vista also has an Investment and Financial Review Committee that provides additional oversight of the City’s finances. A “YES” vote on Measure N will ensure that the City’s finances will have the best oversight possible. [2] |
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Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[1]
- George Guynn Jr., President, Solano County Taxpayers Association
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[1]
| “ |
VOTE NO on Measure N. Today you have the right to run for the office of City Treasurer. Today you have the right to vote for whom you believe is the best candidate to City Treasurer. Today you can hold your City Treasurer accountable for their actions by virtue of your vote. If Measure N passes you will lose and FOREVER FORFEIT THOSE RIGHTS! Shall we give away our constitutional right, our voice, our power of vote and let a select few appoint whomever they see fit? VOTE NO on Measure N. The City Treasurer's Office is independent from the City Council and, by law, is responsible for the receipt, custody, deposit, disbursement and investment of all City funds. VOTE NO on Measure N. Maintain the people's right and power to elect government representatives! Support a transparent, accessible government with integrity and accountability. VOTE NO on Measure N. Changing the job to an appointed position takes oversight away from voters and chisels away at the democratic process. An appointed city treasurer does not have to live in Rio Vista but will be managing YOUR money. The city treasurer should not be relegated to an appointed bureaucrat. The checks and balances of an elected city treasurer were important to the creators of our Constitution they need to be maintained to assure good, honest government. The treasurer needs to be accountable to the people because he/she manages their money. As an elected official, citizens may judge the official and recall if necessary. THIS is A NO BRAlNER! Who will want to give up an elected position for an appointee who will not even have to be a resident of the City of Rio Vista? VOTE NO ON MEASURE N.[2] |
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Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Rio Vista, California.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Rio Vista Local election and voting laws. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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