REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 26, 2022
FROM
CURT HAGMAN, Chairman and Fourth District Supervisor, Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
Ordinance Regarding Proposed Amendments to the County Charter
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Consider proposed ordinance relating to amendments to the San Bernardino County Charter.
2. Make alterations, if necessary, to proposed ordinance.
3. Approve introduction of proposed ordinance.
• An ordinance of San Bernardino County, State of California, proposing to amend the Charter of San Bernardino County for Taxpayer Protection and Government Reform and ordering that such proposal be submitted to the qualified electors at the November 8, 2022 election.
4. SCHEDULE ORDINANCE FOR FINAL ADOPTION ON TUESDAY, August 9, 2022, on the Consent Calendar.
(Presenter: Curt Hagman, Chairman and Fourth District Supervisor, 387-4866)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item may result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Registrar of Voters (ROV) estimates all costs, plus overhead related to conducting the election for the measure, will be approximately $2 million. A budget adjustment will be presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval in a future quarterly budget report, if necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The charter of a county is its “constitution” and allows a county to have a greater amount of local self-government. On November 3 2020, the voters approved a revised and updated County Charter. Amendments to the County Charter are only effective if approved by the electorate.
Following review of the County Charter, additional proposed amendments to the County Charter are recommended to facilitate effective representation in County government. The recommended amendments to the County Charter include the following:
• Require the Board to approve any tax increase by a 4/5’s vote of the Board and for the tax increase to be placed on the ballot at the next available statewide general election. This would include when the Board is acting as the governing body of Board governed Special Districts, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District or the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, but does not apply if the tax is proposed by property owners.
• Prevent the Board from voting to increase their salary.
• Revise the timing for the three term limit.
The proposed ordinance will approve the County Charter amendments, order that the proposed County Charter amendments be submitted to the voters at the November 8, 2022 election, and order that the language in Attachment “A” of the ordinance be printed in the Voter Information Guide. Placing the proposed amendments on the November 8, 2022 ballot will provide the public with the opportunity to vote on the recommended amendments to the County Charter.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Julie Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 19, 2022; Registrar of Voters (Stephenie Shea, Interim Assistant Registrar of Voters, 387-2100) on July 19, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on July 19, 2022.