Laserfiche WebLink
CITY OF RIVERSIDE <br /> <br />People Serving <br />People <br /> <br />HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />DATE: March 16, 2004 <br /> <br />ITEM NO: 25 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br /> <br />On May 6, 2003, the City Council concurred with the recommendations of the City Council <br />Governmental Affairs Committee that (1) a seventeen-member Charter Review Committee be <br />formed with each Councilmember appointing two members with at least one representative from <br />their respective Ward and the other from within the Ward or from the City at-large, and with the <br />Mayor appointing three members; (2) the Charter Review Committee Chair shall be selected by a <br />majority of its members; (3) Charter Review Committee members shall be qualified electors of the <br />City; (4) the Committee shall conduct a full review of the Charter; (5) all proposed changes in the <br />current Charter shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Charter Review Committee; (6) five <br />affirmative votes of the City Council shall be required to amend the recommendations of the <br />Charter Review Committee; (7) by simple majority of the City Council, the Charter amendments <br />shall be placed on the ballot; and (8) approve the attached charge and scope of work consistent <br />with the City Charter and Governmental Affairs Committee discussion. <br /> <br />With few exceptions, affirmative votes of at least four members of the City Council are required to <br />take action. Charter Section 413 grants the Mayor the power to veto City Council action. Five <br />affirmative votes ofthe City Council are required to override a Mayoral veto. In contrast to what is <br />required for legislative action of the City Council, recommendation (6) above requires five <br />affirmative votes to amend recommendations of the Charter Review Committee. <br /> <br />An unexpected outcome of the May 6, 2003, motion, in effect, diminished the Mayor's participation <br />in this important decision. The Mayor's role as a steward of the electors Citywide deserves <br />legislative leverage in the approval process for proposed Charter amendments. A change to <br />recommendation (6) above is clearly warranted. An opportunity for the Mayor to submit proposed <br />amendments with support of four affirmative votes of the City Council should be supported. <br /> <br />FISCALIMPACT: <br /> <br />The proposal alters the legislative process only for proposed Charter amendments. No new or <br />additional fiscal impact would be incurred. <br /> <br />25-1 <br /> <br /> <br />