Los Alamitos City Government Accountability, Transparency and Charter Reform Measure (Measure X) November 5, 2024

The City of Los Alamitos has placed the Los Alamitos City Government Accountability, Transparency and Charter Reform Measure on the ballot for the November 2024 election.

               

Ballot Measure Language

The City of Los Alamitos is governed by a city charter that was initially established in 1966, serving as the legal backbone, defining the governance structure, and safeguarding citizen rights. A city charter is like a constitution for the city. As the city has evolved, however, the mid-century charter has not kept pace with these changes. To address the modern needs of the community, Los Alamitos City Council is considering a good government and efficiency ballot measure to update the charter. This measure would aim to enhance public works purchasing authority, establish district term limits for city council members, language related to district elections, place campaign contribution limits on those seeking city council office and require public filing and disclosure of lobbyist activities in the City. To see the agenda where the potential ballot measure was discussed, click HERE.

Changes to City Charter require a majority of registered voters who live in the City of Los Alamitos to adopt the changes. The following summaries are provided to help inform residents about proposed changes included in the ballot measure that will amend the City Charter.

Modernize Public Works Purchasing

The City’s modification of the public works purchasing authority will aim to significantly enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of its public works department by increasing the threshold for requiring request for proposal processes to $125,000 and then indexing that number against the California Construction Cost Index (CCCI) going forward. The current threshold for requiring extensive requests for proposal processes is $10,000 on public works projects. This limit was established in 1960 and has become a substantial bottleneck to efficient city operations. Based on inflation adjustments, having a $10,000 spending limit today is equivalent to a $944 limit in 1960. This outdated spending limit forces the City to undergo a lengthy and cumbersome public bidding process for even minor projects such as fixing potholes or repairing storm-damaged plumbing and roofs. This public bidding process can take anywhere from 3-8 months for a traditional purchasing process, during which time no progress is being made and often leaves critical projects in limbo, resulting in extended periods where essential repairs are significantly delayed, and significant staff overhead costs are incurred to procure services. Additionally, the current process discourages companies from bidding on seemingly smaller projects, like a $15,000 contract, as they are deterred by the long timelines and bureaucratic hurdles. For example, the eagerly anticipated construction of Los Alamitos’ community centers could have been finished faster by several months if the public works bid cap requirement was not outdated. By raising the spending limit, the City can expedite public works projects to ensure timely maintenance, improvements and city enhancements. This change will not affect prevailing wage requirements, and the spending oversight remains in place via the City Council and publicly disclosed warrant registries.

Establishment of District Term Limits

This charter amendment would update current city council term limits to align with the recently adopted by-district elections where council members are elected by one of five districts in the City. Currently, city council members can serve up to three consecutive terms, after which they must step down for a year-long cooling-off period. The modification proposes a transition to district-specific term limits. Implementation of this change would cap council members to three terms serving the district in which they reside with a one-year cool-off period. Establishing district-level term limits recognizes that there is a smaller pool of candidates for each council seat, and implementation of this term limit specification will increase voter choice within each district while balancing the overall philosophy of term limit restrictions.  

Clean Up Legacy By-District Elections Provisions

The charter amendment would replace language in the original Charter that is now outdated based on the City’s conversion to by-district elections. State law superseded the Los Alamitos charter and required the City to create by-district elections if square mile and population thresholds are met. The current Charter contains language that conflicts with that State law requirement. The amendment would clean up this language and update the Charter to reflect the current by-district elections.

Campaign Contribution Restrictions

To reduce the influence of money in local politics, this measure would consider placing a limit of $500 for companies and individuals who donate to candidates for city council. This dollar limit is far more restrictive than State law. The charter amendment will also mandate full disclosures and the filing of transparency paperwork in accordance with the laws and regulations of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, the State’s independent ethics watchdog.

Require Lobbyist Registration

To enhance ethics and further restrict special interest activity in Los Alamitos, the Charter shall be amended to address lobbyist activities. The charter amendment will define lobbyists as paid third parties who are engaged by interest groups to lobby Los Alamitos elected officials. Lobbyists will be required to complete paperwork and register with the City of Los Alamitos prior to engaging with elected officials. The measure will further require elected officials to disclose any meetings with lobbyists prior to voting on a measure that they were lobbied on from the dais to ensure city council members are transparent about their lobbyists' context.

Current Charter is located in the link below 

City of Los Alamitos, CA Table of Contents