California has a number of interesting statewide initiatives on the ballot on election day, including Jerry Brown's tax increases. But one of the most fascinating local initiatives would give the financially hard-pressed city of Costa Mesa the right to privatize a big portion of its municipal services after judges barred the city from doing so under its current governing system.The implications of that initiative could ripple throughout the state.
Costa Mesa's city council voted to privatize much of city services, including contracting out some public safety functions to the county, after pension costs more than tripled in the city. It sent layoff notices to 44 percent of its workforce.
Costa Mesa, however, operates under the state's general government code, and the courts interpreted that code to mean that the city was limited in how many of its municipal functions it could contract out in competitive bidding. So councilman Jim Righeimer, a fierce union critic, proposed switching Costa Mesa to a charter form of government, which would give the city more thorough control of its fortunes. Only a quarter of California's 482 municipalities employ the charter form of government, but if the Costa Mesa initiative succeeds, other cities are likely to try making the switch, too.
"If Sacramento and the judges are going to take over how cities operate," Mission Viejo Mayor Frank Ury told the Orange County Register, cities across the state will pass charters "like wildfire."
Costa Mesa, however, operates under the state's general government code, and the courts interpreted that code to mean that the city was limited in how many of its municipal functions it could contract out in competitive bidding. So councilman Jim Righeimer, a fierce union critic, proposed switching Costa Mesa to a charter form of government, which would give the city more thorough control of its fortunes. Only a quarter of California's 482 municipalities employ the charter form of government, but if the Costa Mesa initiative succeeds, other cities are likely to try making the switch, too.
"If Sacramento and the judges are going to take over how cities operate," Mission Viejo Mayor Frank Ury told the Orange County Register, cities across the state will pass charters "like wildfire."
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