HomeMy WebLinkAbout19 ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION SUBMITTING AN INITIATIVE MEASURE TO THE VOTERS RE TERM LIMITSDocuSign Envelope ID: EFEBA85B-0515-43D5-BCC9-D47CFOD221 FO
Cry AGENDA REPO.
z
MEETING DATE
TO
FROM:
JUNE 18, 2024
ALDO E. SCHINDLER, CITY MANAGER
DAVID KENDIG, CITY ATTORNEY
19
Agenda Item
Reviewed: os
City Manager Q�
Finance Director
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION SUBMITTING AN INITIATIVE MEASURE
TO THE VOTERS AT THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024, CONSOLIDATED
ELECTIONS REVISING THE CITY'S TERM LIMITS REGULATIONS.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the City Council's prior direction, a Resolution is presented that, if
approved, would place an initiative measure before Tustin's voters at the November 5,
2024, election to revise the City's ordinance limiting the terms that may be served by City
Council members and the Mayor. The City Council is also asked to consider designating
one or more members of the Council to author arguments for inclusion with the voter
pamphlet when the term limit item is considered by the voters.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
1. Consider adoption of a resolution submitting to the voters at the General Municipal
Election the initiative measure revising the term limit regulations of the City; and
2. Consider whether to designate a member or members of the City Council to author
the argument in favor of the measure, and if so, identify the designated author or
authors; and
3. Adopt one of the following forms of Resolution 24-40:
• Option 1— Resolution 24-40 NOT INCLUDING a designation of specific
Council member(s) to prepare arguments related to the term limit measure
(Attachment 1); or
• Option 2— Resolution 24-40 INCLUDING a designation of specific Council
member(s) to prepare arguments related to the term limit measure
(Attachment 2).
1797096.1
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City Council Staff Report
Resolution Placing Term Limits Revision Measure on November Ballot
June 18, 2024
Page 2
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City Council has appropriated funds to place the proposed measure on the ballot at
the General Municipal Election to be consolidated with the Presidential General Election
to be held on November 5, 2024. The Registrar of Voters has estimated that adding the
term limit measure to the November 5, 2024, election would add $8,500 to the City's cost
of the election.
BACKGROUND
The City's voters adopted an ordinance establishing term limits for the members of the
City Council at the general municipal election in November 1994. From that time until the
November 2022 general municipal election, the five members of the City Council were
elected at -large by all voters in the City, with the Mayor appointed annually from amongst
the members of the City Council.
Beginning with the November 2022 election, the City transitioned to by -district elections,
with council members elected by resident voters in their respective districts and the Mayor
elected at large (City-wide) for terms of four years each.' However, the term limits
regulations codified in Section 1307 of the Tustin City Code do not clearly address the
new circumstance of district -based elections, nor the office of City-wide Mayor. The
existing term limits ordinance does not directly state, for instance, whether the limits apply
to the new directly elected office of Mayor, or whether the time a person serves as a
Council member from one City district would reduce the amount of time one could serve
as a Mayor elected City-wide, and vice -versa.
On January 16, 2024, the City Council directed the City Attorney to prepare a draft revised
term limits ordinance that accounts for the new Council and Mayoral election system.2
THE PROPOSED TERM LIMIT MEASURE
At the City Council's March 5, 2024, meeting, the City Attorney provided a draft ordinance
and the City Council discussed, revised and approved a draft ordinance in a form to be
presented to the voters for consideration.'
City Council members and the Mayor serve four year terms staggered over 2-year election
cycles. Because City Council elections are staggered, by -district elections were held for the office
of the Mayor and for one member of the City Council in 2022, and by -district elections for the
remaining three districts will be held in November, 2024.
2 The City Council voted 4-1 to direct the preparation of the proposed ordinance, with
Councilmember Clark dissenting.
3 The City Council approved the proposed provisions of the ordinance that would be placed
before the voters by a vote of 3-2, with Councilmembers Clark and Gomez dissenting.
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City Council Staff Report
Resolution Placing Term Limits Revision Measure on November Ballot
June 18, 2024
Page 3
The proposed initiative measure would, if approved by the voters in its current form:
• Limit the duration of time which a person may be elected to serve as Mayor, as a
member of the City Council, or any combination thereof, to three (3) consecutive
terms or twelve (12) consecutive years, whichever is less;
• Provide that a person will be ineligible to be elected to the City Council or to the
office of Mayor for a period of eight years from the last date of service on the City
Council or as Mayor;
• Establish a definition of a "term"; and
• Provide that the revised ordinance would apply to the terms of office commencing
with the election in November 2024.
(The full text of the initiative measure is attached as Exhibit A to each of the alternative
resolutions attached to this Staff Report.)
The City Council's March 5th action included direction to staff to return to the Council with
proposed Resolutions to call the election on the proposed measure on November 5, 2024.
This Staff Report, and the attached Resolutions, are provided in response to that
direction.
CONSOLIDATION OF THE TERM LIMIT MEASURE WITH
NOVEMBER 5, 2024, GENERAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
The general municipal election of the City will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024,
for the purpose of electing three (3) Council members from Council Districts 1, 2 and 4.4
As part of its March 5, 2024, decisions, the City Council directed that the proposed
measure should also be placed before the voters at the same election on November 5,
2024. To place the measure before the voters, State law requires the City Council to
adopt a Resolution:
• Submitting the proposed initiative measure to the voters for approval at a regular or
special municipal election;
• Requesting that the County Board of Supervisors consolidate the City election on
the proposed measure with the Presidential General Election to be held on
November 5, 2024;
• Identifying the specific yes -or -no question to be presented to the voters;
• Directing the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure; and
• Authorizing and setting deadlines for the filing of arguments for or against the ballot
measure.
4 This agenda item only addresses the Resolution to call the election related to the term
limits measure. A separate agenda item on the Council's June 18 agenda includes the
recommended Resolution that would call the election for the Council Districts.
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City Council Staff Report
Resolution Placing Term Limits Revision Measure on November Ballot
June 18, 2024
Page 4
The alternative Resolutions attached hereto address those requirements and would
articulate the question to the voters on the ballot as follows:
Measure : City of Tustin Term Limit Revisions
Shall an ordinance revising the limitation on consecutive
terms of office for the Mayor and Members of the City
Council be adopted?
OPTIONAL DESIGNATION OF AUTHOR(S) OF
ARGUMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE
YES
In addition to addressing each of the required items identified above, the Resolution
submitting the measure to the voters may, at the Council's discretion, authorize one or
two members of the City Council to author arguments related to the measure. If the
Council designates the authors in that manner, the arguments would appear with the
November 5 ballot materials circulated by the Registrar of Voters.
Consistent with State law the City Council may designate one or two Councilmembers to
author the argument in favor (or opposition) of the measure. If the Council would like for
three or more Councilmembers to author the argument, then the written argument would
need to be considered and approved by the City Council as an agendized item at a future
meeting of the City Council.
If the City Council does not designate specific authors to compose an argument, then
State Law provides that any member or members of the City Council, or a bona fide
association of citizens, or any individual voter who is eligible to vote on the measure, or
any combination of voters and associations, may file a written argument for or against the
measure. State Law further provides that if multiple arguments are timely submitted to
the City Clerk, the City Clerk would select one of them, applying the following order of
priority:
First, an argument submitted by council member(s);
Second, an argument submitted by a bona fide association, and
Third, an argument submitted by a voter or voters.
Attached to this staff report are two alternative versions of Resolution 24-40, providing
the City Council with the following options for designating the author(s) of the argument
in the event the City Council decides to proceed with submitting the measure to the voters:
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City Council Staff Report
Resolution Placing Term Limits Revision Measure on November Ballot
June 18, 2024
Page 5
• Option 1 — The City Council would NOT designate specific Council member(s) to
author an argument. (Attachment 1.)
o Under this option, the City Clerk would simply follow the priorities of State
Law outlined above in the event any council member, bona fide association
of citizens, or individual(s) were to submit and argument in favor of the
measure. OR
• Option 2 - The City Council WOULD designate one or two Council member(s) to
author the arguments in support of the measure. (Attachment 2.)
o Under this option, the argument drafted by the selected author(s) would
have priority in being selected to inclusion with the ballot materials over
arguments submitted by others, if any.
SUMMARY:
If the City Council wishes to proceed with placing the term limit measure on the ballot, it
is recommended that the Council approve one of the two Resolutions attached hereto.
If the Council does not want to designate specific Council members or the Mayor to author
arguments, the Council should approve the Resolution in the form attached as
Attachment 1.
If the Council wishes to authorize Council member(s) or the Mayor to author arguments,
the Council should identify the designated individual(s) and approve the Resolution in the
form attached as Attachment 2.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Resolution 24-40 Submitting the Term Limit Measure to the Voters
(without designating an author of the supporting arguments)
Exhibit A to Resolution: Text of proposed Term Limit Measure.
2. Proposed Resolution 24-40 Submitting the Term Limit Measure to the Voters and
authorizing members of the Council to author supporting arguments.
Exhibit A to Resolution: Text of proposed Term Limit Measure.
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RESOLUTION NO. 24-40
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN
PROPOSING AND SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS AT THE GENERAL
MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL
GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024, A PROPOSAL TO
ADOPT AN INITIATIVE ORDINANCE REVISING THE LIMITATIONS ON
CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF
THE CITY COUNCIL; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN
IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS; AND AUTHORIZING AND SETTING DEADLINES FOR
THE FILING OF ARGUMENTS FOR OR AGAINST THE BALLOT MEASURE
WHEREAS, at the general municipal elections in November 1994 the voters of the
City of Tustin adopted an ordinance establishing term limits for the members of the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, from the time of the adoption of term limits for the members of the City
Council until the November 2022 general municipal election the five members of the City
Council were elected at -large with the Mayor appointed annually from amongst the
members of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, commencing with the November 2022 election, the City transitioned
to by -district elections with four council members elected by resident voters in their
respective districts and the Mayor elected at large for terms of four years each; and
WHEREAS, the term limit measures codified in Section 1307 of the Tustin City
Code needs to be revised to reflect the transition to by -district elections as described
above; and
WHEREAS, the proposed initiative measure seeks to clarify the limitation on the
consecutive terms and consecutive years which a person may be elected to serve as
Mayor, as a member of the City Council, or any combination thereof, to revise the
limitation to three consecutive terms or twelve consecutive years, whichever is less, and
to provide such a person shall be ineligible to be elected to the City Council or to the office
of Mayor for a period of eight calendar years from the last date of service on the City
Council or as Mayor.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED by the City Council of
the City of Tustin as follows:
SECTION 1. Call for Election to Submit Initiative Measure to Voters. Pursuant to
the laws of the State of California relating to General Law Cities, the City Council of the
City of Tustin hereby calls and orders to be held in the City of Tustin, California, on
Tuesday, November 5, 2024, an election for the purpose of submitting to the registered
Resolution 24-40
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voters of the City of Tustin at the Presidential General Election the following ballot
measure for their adoption or rejection:
Measure : City of Tustin Term Limit Revisions
Shall an ordinance revising the limitation on consecutive YES
terms of office for the Mayor and Members of the City
Council be adopted?
NO
SECTION 2. Incorporation of Initiative Ordinance Text. The text of the proposed
Ordinance for the ballot measure submitted to the City's voters is set forth in full in Exhibit
"A" attached hereto and incorporated by this reference.
SECTION 3. Approval. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the measure
votes in favor of the measure, the Initiative Ordinance shall be deemed approved.
SECTION 4. Order for Publication. The City Council hereby orders and directs the
City Clerk to cause the proposed Ordinance and notice of the General Municipal Election
to be published in the time, form, and manner as required by law.
SECTION 5. Subject to General Municipal Election Laws. In all particulars not
expressly recited in this Resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as provided
by law for holding general municipal elections.
SECTION 6. Impartial Analysis. The City Council hereby authorizes, instructs, and
directs the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the ballot measure, in
accordance with the provisions of the Elections Code section 9280, showing the effect of
the measure on existing law and the operation of the measure. The impartial analysis, not
exceeding 500 words in length, shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before August 2,
2024.
SECTION 7. Filing of Arguments. Pursuant to Elections Code section 9282, the
City Council, or any member or members of the City Council, or any individual voter who
is eligible to vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or any combination
of voters and associations, may file a written argument for or against the measure.
Pursuant to Elections Code section 9283, any argument filed by the City Council, or any
member or members of the City Council, shall be accompanied by the printed name(s)
and signature(s) of the author(s) submitting it, or if submitted on behalf of an organization,
the name of the organization and the printed name and signature of at least one of its
principal officers who is the author of the argument. The argument may not be signed by
more than five persons, otherwise the signatures of the first five shall be printed on the
sample ballot. Any direct argument shall be accompanied by a signed Form of Statement
and in accordance with guidelines for filing of arguments which are available in the Office
Resolution 24-40
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of the City Clerk. Direct arguments shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before August
2, 2024, and shall be subject to a 10 calendar -day public examination period in
accordance with the provisions of Elections Code section 9295.
SECTION 8. Filing of Rebuttal Arguments. Pursuant to Elections Code sections
9282 and 9285, when the City Clerk has selected the arguments for and against the
measure which will be printed and distributed to the voters, the City Clerk shall send a
copy of the argument in favor of the measure to the authors of the argument against, and
a copy of the argument against the measure to the authors of the argument in favor. The
author or a majority of the authors of an argument may prepare and submit a rebuttal
argument or may authorize in writing any other person or persons to prepare, submit, or
sign the rebuttal argument. A rebuttal argument shall be filed with the City Clerk with the
printed name(s) and signature(s) of the author(s) submitting it, or if submitted on behalf
of an organization, the name of the organization, and the printed name and signature of
at least one of its principal officers. A rebuttal argument may not be signed by more than
five persons and shall be printed in the same manner as a direct argument and shall
immediately follow the direct argument which it seeks to rebut. Rebuttal arguments for or
against the measure, not exceeding 250 words in length, shall be filed with the City Clerk
on or before August 12, 2024. Any rebuttal argument shall be accompanied by a signed
Form of Statement and in accordance with guidelines for the filing of arguments which
are available in the Office of the City Clerk. Rebuttal arguments shall be subject to a 10-
calendar-day public examination period in accordance with the provisions of Elections
Code section 9295.
SECTION 9. Selection of Arguments for Submission to Voters. If more than one
argument for or more than one argument against the ballot measure is submitted, the City
Clerk shall select one of the arguments in favor and one of the arguments against the
measure for printing and distribution to the voters. In selecting the argument, the City
Clerk shall give preference and priority to the submitted arguments in accordance with
the provisions of Elections Code section 9287.
SECTION 10. Consolidation with Presidential General Election. That pursuant to
the requirements of Section 10403 of the Elections Code, the Board of Supervisors of the
County of Orange is hereby requested to consent and agree to the consolidation of the
General Municipal Election with the Presidential General Election on Tuesday, November
5, 2024, as requested by and subject to Tustin City Council Resolution No. 24-37.
SECTION 11. Certification. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and
adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
SECTION 12. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption. The
City Clerk is hereby directed to deliver forthwith certified copies of this Resolution to the
Registrar of Voters of the County of Orange and to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
of the County of Orange.
Resolution 24-40
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APPROVED and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Tustin at a regular meeting
on the 18t" day of June 2024.
AUSTIN LUMBARD
Mayor
ATTEST:
ERICA N. YASUDA
City Clerk
FDocuSigned by:
14, -
DA ,E, 7XENDIG,
City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS
CITY OF TUSTIN )
I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin,
California, do hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council is
five; that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 24-40 was duly and regularly passed
and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 18t" day of June 2024
by the following vote:
COUNCILMEMBER AYES:
COUNCILMEMBER NOES:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBER RECUSED:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
Resolution 24-40
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EXHIBIT "A"
1841574.1
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AN ORDINANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF
TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA REVISING THE LIMITATIONS ON
CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Pursuant to California Elections Code section 9222, the people of the City of Tustin
do hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 1307 of the Tustin City Code is hereby repealed in its entirety
and revised to read as follows:
1307- LIMITATION ON CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCIL
(a) Findings and Purpose
The people hereby find and declare:
(1) The Founders established a system of representative government based
upon free, fair, and competitive elections. The increased concentration
of political power in the hands of incumbent representatives has made
electoral systems less free, less competitive, and less representative.
(2) The ability of legislators to serve an unlimited number of terms
contributes heavily to the extremely high number of incumbents who are
reelected. This unfair incumbent advantage discourages qualified
candidates from seeking public office and creates a class of career
politicians, instead of the citizen representatives envisioned by the
Founders. These career politicians become representatives of the
bureaucracy, rather than of the people whom they are elected to
represent.
(3) The purpose of this section is to ensure a free and democratic system of
fair elections, and to encourage qualified candidates to seek public
office, by limiting the powers of incumbency, by establishing limitations
upon the number of consecutive terms and consecutive years which a
person may be elected to serve as Mayor, as a member of the City
Council, or any combination thereof.
(b) Limitation on Consecutive Elected Terms: Any person who has served as a
member of City Council or in the office of Mayor, or any combination thereof,
for three consecutive terms or for twelve consecutive years, whichever is less,
shall not be eligible to be elected to the City Council or to the office of Mayor
for a period of eight calendar years from the last date of service on the City
Council or as Mayor.
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(1) If the person's service of the third consecutive term or the twelfth
consecutive year ends in December after a general election, that person
shall be eligible to run and be elected in the general election in November
of the calendar year eight years later. (For example: if a Council member's
third term ends upon certification of election results in December 2050, then
that person would be eligible to be elected in November 2058
notwithstanding that the election is less than eight full years after the last
date of service in 2050.)
(c) Definition of a Term: When a person serves less than a full term as member
of the City Council or as Mayor due to appointment, resignation, vacancy, or
due to special election to fill a vacancy, such service in office shall be counted
toward the limitation on consecutive elected terms if the individual served two
or more years (728 days or more) of that term.
(d) Appointment to Fill a Vacancy: This section shall not be construed to prevent a
person from being appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council or in the office
of Mayor at any time.
(e) Retroactivity: Pursuant to California Government Code section 36502(b), this
section shall apply prospectively only. This section shall apply to the terms of
office commencing with the election in November 2024. Terms that are
commenced, and years that are served, as members of the City Council or as
Mayor prior to November 2024 shall not be included when calculating the
number of terms or years served for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2: Ordinances 1126, 1175, and 1180 are hereby repealed in their
entirety, effective upon the effective date of this ordinance.
SECTION 3: Pursuant to California Elections Code 9217, this ordinance shall be
become valid and binding if a majority of the voters voting on the proposed ordinance
vote in its favor. It shall be considered as adopted upon the date that the vote is declared
by the City Council, and shall go into effect 10 days after that date.
SECTION 4: If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause,
or phrase in this Ordinance, or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be
unconstitutional or invalid, or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such
decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance, or any part thereof. The People of the City of Tustin hereby declare that they
would have passed this Ordinance and each section, subsection, subdivision, sentence,
clause, and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections,
subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, or phrases are subsequently declared
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid or ineffective.
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ADOPTED by vote of the People of the City of Tustin on the 5t" day of November,
2024, and declared and certified by the Tustin City Council on the day of
2024.
AUSTIN LUMBARD,
Mayor
ATTEST:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DAVID E. KENDIG
City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss.
CITY OF TUSTIN )
I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk, and ex officio Clerk of the city Council of the City of Tustin,
California, does hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council
of the City of Tustin is 5; that the adoption of the above and foregoing Ordinance Number
was duly declared and certified by the Tustin City Council at a meeting held on the
day of , 2024, by the following vote:
COUNCILMEMBERS AYES:
COUNCILMEMBERS NOES:
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSTAINED:
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS RECUSED:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
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RESOLUTION NO. 24-40
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN PROPOSING AND
SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS AT THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE
CONSOLIDATED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON
NOVEMBER 5, 2024, A PROPOSAL TO ADOPT AN INITIATIVE ORDINANCE
REVISING THE LIMITATIONS ON CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR THE
MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY
TO PREPARE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS; AND AUTHORIZING AND SETTING
DEADLINES FOR THE FILING OF ARGUMENTS FOR OR AGAINST THE BALLOT
MEASURE
WHEREAS, at the general municipal elections in November 1994 the voters of the City
of Tustin adopted an ordinance establishing term limits for the members of the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, from the time of the adoption of term limits for the members of the City
Council until the November 2022 general municipal election the five members of the City
Council were elected at -large with the Mayor appointed annually from amongst the
members of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, commencing with the November 2022 election, the City transitioned to by -
district elections with four council members elected by resident voters in their respective
districts and the Mayor elected at large for terms of four years each; and
WHEREAS, the term limit measures codified in Section 1307 of the Tustin City Code
needs to be revised to reflect the transition to by -district elections as described above;
and
WHEREAS, the proposed initiative measure seeks to clarify the limitation on the
consecutive terms and consecutive years which a person may be elected to serve as
Mayor, as a member of the City Council, or any combination thereof, to revise the
limitation to three consecutive terms or twelve consecutive years, whichever is less, and
to provide such a person shall be ineligible to be elected to the City Council or to the office
of Mayor for a period of eight calendar years from the last date of service on the City
Council or as Mayor.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED by the City Council of
the City of Tustin as follows:
SECTION 1. Call for Election to Submit Initiative Measure to Voters. Pursuant to
the laws of the State of California relating to General Law Cities, the City Council of the
City of Tustin hereby calls and orders to be held in the City of Tustin, California, on
Tuesday, November 5, 2024, an election for the purpose of submitting to the registered
Resolution 24-40
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voters of the City of Tustin at the Presidential General Election the following ballot
measure for their adoption or rejection:
Measure : City of Tustin Term Limit Revisions
Shall an ordinance revising the limitation on consecutive YES
terms of office for the Mayor and Members of the City
Council be adopted?
NO
SECTION 2. Incorporation of Initiative Ordinance Text. The text of the proposed
Ordinance for the ballot measure submitted to the City's voters is set forth in full in Exhibit
"A" attached hereto and incorporated by this reference.
SECTION 3. Approval. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the measure
votes in favor of the measure, the Initiative Ordinance shall be deemed approved.
SECTION 4. Order for Publication. The City Council hereby orders and directs the
City Clerk to cause the proposed Ordinance and notice of the General Municipal Election
to be published in the time, form, and manner as required by law.
SECTION 5. Subject to General Municipal Election Laws. In all particulars not
expressly recited in this Resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as provided
by law for holding general municipal elections.
SECTION 6. Impartial Analysis. The City Council hereby authorizes, instructs, and
directs the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the ballot measure, in
accordance with the provisions of the Elections Code section 9280, showing the effect of
the measure on existing law and the operation of the measure. The impartial analysis, not
exceeding 500 words in length, shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before August 2,
2024.
SECTION 7. Filing of Arguments. Pursuant to Elections Code section 9282, the
following member(s) of the City Council may file a written argument for or against the
measure: . Pursuant to Elections Code section 9283,
any argument filed by the member(s) of the City Council, shall be accompanied by the
printed name(s) and signature(s) of the author(s) submitting it. Any direct argument shall
be accompanied by a signed Form of Statement and in accordance with guidelines for
filing of arguments which are available in the Office of the City Clerk. Direct arguments
shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before August 2, 2024, and shall be subject to a 10
calendar -day public examination period in accordance with the provisions of Elections
Code section 9295.
Resolution 24-40
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SECTION 8. Filing of Rebuttal Arguments. Pursuant to Elections Code sections
9282 and 9285, when the City Clerk has selected the arguments for and against the
measure which will be printed and distributed to the voters, the City Clerk shall send a
copy of the argument in favor of the measure to the authors of the argument against, and
a copy of the argument against the measure to the authors of the argument in favor. The
author or a majority of the authors of an argument may prepare and submit a rebuttal
argument or may authorize in writing any other person or persons to prepare, submit, or
sign the rebuttal argument. A rebuttal argument shall be filed with the City Clerk with the
printed name(s) and signature(s) of the author(s) submitting it, or if submitted on behalf
of an organization, the name of the organization, and the printed name and signature of
at least one of its principal officers. A rebuttal argument may not be signed by more than
five persons and shall be printed in the same manner as a direct argument and shall
immediately follow the direct argument which it seeks to rebut. Rebuttal arguments for or
against the measure, not exceeding 250 words in length, shall be filed with the City Clerk
on or before August 12, 2024. Any rebuttal argument shall be accompanied by a signed
Form of Statement and in accordance with guidelines for the filing of arguments which
are available in the Office of the City Clerk. Rebuttal arguments shall be subject to a 10-
calendar-day public examination period in accordance with the provisions of Elections
Code section 9295.
SECTION 9. Selection of Arguments for Submission to Voters. If more than one
argument for or more than one argument against the ballot measure is submitted, the City
Clerk shall select one of the arguments in favor and one of the arguments against the
measure for printing and distribution to the voters. In selecting the argument, the City
Clerk shall give preference and priority to the submitted arguments in accordance with
the provisions of Elections Code section 9287.
SECTION 10. Consolidation with Presidential General Election. That pursuant to
the requirements of Section 10403 of the Elections Code, the Board of Supervisors of the
County of Orange is hereby requested to consent and agree to the consolidation of the
General Municipal Election with the Presidential General Election on Tuesday, November
5, 2024, as requested by and subject to Tustin City Council Resolution No. 24-37.
SECTION 11. Certification. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and
adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
SECTION 12. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption. The
City Clerk is hereby directed to deliver forthwith certified copies of this Resolution to the
Registrar of Voters of the County of Orange and to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
of the County of Orange.
Resolution 24-40
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APPROVED and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Tustin at a regular meeting
on the 18th day of June 2024.
AUSTIN LUMBARD,
Mayor
ATTEST:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
FDocuSigned by:
.14y 1-
DAVHYSFKENDIG,
City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS
CITY OF TUSTIN )
I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin,
California, do hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council is
five; that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 24-40 was duly and regularly passed
and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 18th day of June 2024
by the following vote:
COUNCILMEMBER AYES:
COUNCILMEMBER NOES:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBER RECUSED:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
Resolution 24-40
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EXHIBIT "A"
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AN ORDINANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF
TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA REVISING THE LIMITATIONS ON
CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Pursuant to California Elections Code section 9222, the people of the City of Tustin
do hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 1307 of the Tustin City Code is hereby repealed in its entirety
and revised to read as follows:
1307- LIMITATION ON CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCIL
(a) Findings and Purpose
The people hereby find and declare:
(1) The Founders established a system of representative government based
upon free, fair, and competitive elections. The increased concentration
of political power in the hands of incumbent representatives has made
electoral systems less free, less competitive, and less representative.
(2) The ability of legislators to serve an unlimited number of terms
contributes heavily to the extremely high number of incumbents who are
reelected. This unfair incumbent advantage discourages qualified
candidates from seeking public office and creates a class of career
politicians, instead of the citizen representatives envisioned by the
Founders. These career politicians become representatives of the
bureaucracy, rather than of the people whom they are elected to
represent.
(3) The purpose of this section is to ensure a free and democratic system of
fair elections, and to encourage qualified candidates to seek public
office, by limiting the powers of incumbency, by establishing limitations
upon the number of consecutive terms and consecutive years which a
person may be elected to serve as Mayor, as a member of the City
Council, or any combination thereof.
(b) Limitation on Consecutive Elected Terms: Any person who has served as a
member of City Council or in the office of Mayor, or any combination thereof,
for three consecutive terms or for twelve consecutive years, whichever is less,
shall not be eligible to be elected to the City Council or to the office of Mayor
for a period of eight calendar years from the last date of service on the City
Council or as Mayor.
1
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(1) If the person's service of the third consecutive term or the twelfth
consecutive year ends in December after a general election, that person
shall be eligible to run and be elected in the general election in November
of the calendar year eight years later. (For example: if a Council member's
third term ends upon certification of election results in December 2050, then
that person would be eligible to be elected in November 2058
notwithstanding that the election is less than eight full years after the last
date of service in 2050.)
(c) Definition of a Term: When a person serves less than a full term as member
of the City Council or as Mayor due to appointment, resignation, vacancy, or
due to special election to fill a vacancy, such service in office shall be counted
toward the limitation on consecutive elected terms if the individual served two
or more years (728 days or more) of that term.
(d) Appointment to Fill a Vacancy: This section shall not be construed to prevent a
person from being appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council or in the office
of Mayor at any time.
(e) Retroactivity: Pursuant to California Government Code section 36502(b), this
section shall apply prospectively only. This section shall apply to the terms of
office commencing with the election in November 2024. Terms that are
commenced, and years that are served, as members of the City Council or as
Mayor prior to November 2024 shall not be included when calculating the
number of terms or years served for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2: Ordinances 1126, 1175, and 1180 are hereby repealed in their
entirety, effective upon the effective date of this ordinance.
SECTION 3: Pursuant to California Elections Code 9217, this ordinance shall be
become valid and binding if a majority of the voters voting on the proposed ordinance
vote in its favor. It shall be considered as adopted upon the date that the vote is declared
by the City Council, and shall go into effect 10 days after that date.
SECTION 4: If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause,
or phrase in this Ordinance, or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be
unconstitutional or invalid, or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such
decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance, or any part thereof. The People of the City of Tustin hereby declare that they
would have passed this Ordinance and each section, subsection, subdivision, sentence,
clause, and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections,
subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, or phrases are subsequently declared
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid or ineffective.
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ADOPTED by vote of the People of the City of Tustin on the 5t" day of November,
2024, and declared and certified by the Tustin City Council on the day of
2024.
AUSTIN LUMBARD,
Mayor
ATTEST:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DAVID E. KENDIG
City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss.
CITY OF TUSTIN )
I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk, and ex officio Clerk of the city Council of the City of Tustin,
California, does hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council
of the City of Tustin is 5; that the adoption of the above and foregoing Ordinance Number
was duly declared and certified by the Tustin City Council at a meeting held on the
day of , 2024, by the following vote:
COUNCILMEMBERS AYES:
COUNCILMEMBERS NOES:
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSTAINED:
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS RECUSED:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk