Council is Dark For July 4 Holiday

Council is dark on Monday in honor of Independence Day, but when the City Council returns on July 8, councilmembers will once again take up charter reform recommendations that could appear on the November ballot. 

The charter serves as the City’s constitution and can only be changed by the voters. However before an item can go to the voters, the City Council must vote to place it on the ballot. 

Potential items that could make the ballot include term limits, campaign finance contributions, the process to fill vacant seats, the appointment of the vice mayor and compensation for City Council members. 

At the July 8 meeting, the City Council could direct City staff to prepare one or more ballot measure questions, schedule further discussion by the City Council, refer the matter to a Council committee for review and recommendation prior to the July 22 City Council meeting or provide alternate direction at the July 22 meeting.

City staff is scheduled to consider election resolutions to submit ballot measures, including any Charter Amendment measures approved by City Council, to Pasadena voters for their consideration.

The City Council must act by Aug. 9 to place measures on the ballot.

The City Council does not have to accept the task force recommendations and could place additional measures on the ballot.

The task force recommends that the Mayor and City Council be allowed to serve three four-year terms and then step down for two terms. After that, elected officials would be able to once again seek the office they previously held.

When this issue was discussed earlier it appeared that the City Council was split on the issue with at least four City Council ready to oppose the matter. 

The task force also recommended that campaign contributions be limited to $1,000 per person or entity for Council races and $2,500 for mayoral races, contingent on the City Attorney’s Office establishing an enforcement framework.

On vacancies, the task force is recommending that Council vacancies with less than two years remaining on the term be filled by appointment within 75 days. Applicants must live in the District for six months.

If there are two years left before the next election in the District where a seat becomes vacant or the City Council fails to make an appointment within the 75-day limit a special election would be held.

The process would be established by ordinance the details and process for Council District vacancy appointments, including a process for robust public outreach and engagement.

If the Mayor’s seat becomes vacant, a Mayor Pro Tempore would be selected from among the Council to assume mayoral duties until the next general election.

The City’s Vice Mayor would be elected annually by the Council to serve a one-year term and exercise the Mayor’s duties during absences. The Task Force also said the Vice Mayor selection process consider seniority and the benefit of rotation of the role.