HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-03-23 - AGENDA REPORTS - DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR (2)AGENDA REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
DATE: March 23, 1993
SUBJECT: Directly Elected Mayor
DEPARTMENT: City Council
BACKGROUND.
City Manager Approve
Item to be presented
Michael P. Murphy
At the January 12, 1993, meeting, the Council directed that a review be conducted and report made on the
issue of a full-time mayor either directly elected or rotated into the position from the Council.
In general law cities, such as Santa Clarita which operate under state law, the position of mayor may either
be rotated among members of the city council or directly elected. To establish the position of elected
mayor, a ballot measure must be submitted to the voters requesting approval to elect a mayor and four
members of the city council. Additionally, the electorate would be asked to approve either a two year or
four year term of office for the mayor. Each ballot measure question requires a simple majority vote for
approval.
Under the provisions of operation for a general law city, the powers and duties of an elected mayor are the
same as those of any member of the city council. Furthermore, there exists no delineation between
full-time or part-time mayor and councilmember positions. Such differentiation only occurs in municipalities
formed as charter cities. These are communities that vote their own charter which regulates how the city
will operate.
The only opportunity to formally recognize a full-time elected mayor position in a general law city is through
compensation. Government Code section 36516 specifies salary levels for all councilmembers, tied to city
population, subject to a maximum five percent annual increase. All councilmembers, including a rotated
mayor, receive the same level of compensation.
Government Code section 36516.1 permits unspecified additional compensation for an elected mayor. This
increased compensation may be approved by city council ordinance or by submitting the question to the
voters and receiving an affirmative majority vote.
Agenda Item:
The advantages of an elected mayor are:
Citizens feel that they have a direct voice in the selection of mayor.
2. Elected mayors feel increased accountability to the electorate and tend to devote even more
time to city and community issues.
3. Avoids the political jockeying and hard feelings which sometimes occurs in the mayor rotation
process.
The disadvantages of an elected mayor are:
1. Citizens feel that all constituencies in the city do not have an opportunity to be represented
in the primary leadership position of the city.
2. Elected. mayors sometimes feel that they have more powers than other councilmembers,
potentially leading to conflicts between the mayor, councilmembers and the city manager.
3. A candidate could be elected mayor without any prior council, commission or group leadership
experience.
Most cities throughout California, including Santa Clarlta, are structured using the council-manager form
of government. This structure, approved by the electorate at incorporation, recognizes the policy leadership
role of the city council and the city manager's policy implementation and daily administrative role. This form
of government tends to minimize political influences on and by city staff.
The City Council may wish to consider the following alternatives:
Place before the electorate consideration of a directly elected mayor, two or four year term
of office and compensation package.
2. Place before the electorate consideration of a directly elected mayor and two or four year term
of office. Council would set the mayor's salary by ordinance.
3. Retain the present system of electing at large all five members of the City Council and
rotating, on an annual basis, the position of mayor.
4. Consider the possible benefits of becoming a charter city which would require submission to
the voters for approval.
RECOMMENDATION
Discuss.