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CITIZEN INITIATIVE CHARTER AMENDMENT MEASURE - TO PROVIDE BINDING ARBITRATION AND RELATED PROCEDURES FOR SWORN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ON ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Accept by motion, the City Clerk’s Certificate of Sufficiency relative to the petition filed by the proponents pertaining to the Charter Amendment Measure to provide binding arbitration and related procedures for sworn police and fire department employees on all matters related to the terms and conditions of employment; and
2. Adopt a Resolution requesting consolidation from the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors with other measures occurring at the November 5, 2024, General Election and directing the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis; and
3. Authorize arguments and the filing of rebuttal arguments for or against the measure (deadline for direct arguments; July 29, 2024; deadline for rebuttal arguments; August 8, 2024);
4. Authorize the City Manager to appropriate the funds necessary to pay the City’s cost of placing a measure on the ballot; and
5. Direct the City Clerk to take the steps necessary to place the measure on the ballot.
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Summary
Proponents of the measure filed petitions with the City Clerk’s Office and the Clerk has executed a Certificate of Sufficiency for the petition. Council action is needed to accept the Certificate of Sufficiency, place the item on the November 5, 2024, ballot, and authorize impartial analysis, arguments and rebuttals, and appropriation of funds.
DISCUSSION
Background
On February 15, 2024, the proponents filed a Notice of Intent to Circulate an Initiative Petition. The proponents propose an amendment to the City of Stockton Charter that will provide binding arbitration and related procedures for sworn police and fire department employees on all matters related to the terms and conditions of employment (see Attachment A).
In accordance with the California Elections Code, the City Attorney prepared a ballot title and Summary of the proposed measure (Attachment A). The Notice of Intent and the title and summary of the proposed measure were published in The Record by the proponents on March 7, 2024, following which the proponents of the initiative began collecting signatures on their petition.
On May 20, 2024, the proponents filed their petition with the City Clerk’s Office. Upon prima facie review of the petition, the Clerk’s Office determined the petition contained sufficient raw signatures. The petition was then delivered by the Clerk’s Office to the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters for verification of signatures on May 29, 2024. As stated in Election Code 9255(c)(1) the petition must be signed by at least 15% of the registered voters of the City of Stockton as provided in the last report filed by the San Joaquin Registrar of Voters with the California Secretary of State at the date the Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition was filed with the City Clerk’s Office. Based on the figure provided by the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, 20,315 is 15% of the total 135,427 registered voters in the City of Stockton as last reported to the Secretary of State on February 20, 2024.
On June 14, 2024, the Registrar of Voters completed verification of the signatures (Attachment B). The Registrar estimated 22,423 verified signatures, which is more than the 20,315 valid signatures required to qualify this matter on a general election ballot. Based on the verification of signatures issued by the Registrar of Voters, the City Clerk executed a Certificate of Sufficiency regarding this petition on June 17, 2024 (Attachment C).
Present Situation
The City Clerk is requesting that the Council accept the Certificate of Sufficiency at this time and place the matter on the November 5, 2024, ballot. California Elections Code 9282 allows the proponents to file a written argument in favor of the proposal and the Council to file an argument against the measure. Neither argument may exceed 300 words. The filing deadline for arguments for the November 5, 2024, election is July 29, 2024, at 5:00pm. Proponents and the Council may each file a rebuttal argument, not to exceed 250 words each. The deadline for rebuttal arguments for the November 5, 2024, election is August 8, 2024, at 5:00pm.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters has provided an estimated cost of $50,000 to $80,000 to place the measure on the November 5, 2024, ballot.