Supporters argue that This measure will update and modernize the Charter plus change Council Member compensation. The Council supports this measure because it cleans up outdated language and strikes a better balance between careers and public service.
The Charter, the Constitution for the City of Ventura, was first approved by the voters in 1932. In 1970 and 1986, the voters approved updated Charter language. The Charter has since been amended by the voters five times, most recently in 2020. Most of those changes dealt with election procedures. Over the last 38 years, some Charter articles and many sections have become outdated or unlawful. Some continue to contain typos, misspellings, and/or are confusing. As with all documents, the Charter needs to be updated from time-to-time to reflect how the City operates in the 21st century and to be more open, transparent, and easy for citizens to understand.
The current compensation was set in 1986 at $600 per month for Councilmembers and $700 per month for the Mayor. The proposed amendment aligns City Council compensation with the California Government Code, currently $1,900 per month for a city the size of Ventura. Reasonable compensation should allow more leaders from diverse backgrounds to answer the call to service.
A YES vote on this measure is in favor of all the Charter amendments.
