Measure E: City Charter Amendment - Modernizing Provisions

In plain language

Measure E is a Mountain View city measure. It updates parts of the City Charter. A YES vote replaces gender-specific words with gender-neutral language. It gives the city up to 60 days, instead of 30, to fill a City Council vacancy. It removes the rule requiring full ordinances to be read aloud. It lets the Council set qualifications for city boards and commissions. And it updates outdated wording to match state law and current practices. A NO vote keeps the City Charter as it is now.

Impartial analysis

IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE __ The Mountain View City Council, by unanimous vote, placed this measure on the ballot. If approved by a majority of voters, the measure would amend the Mountain View City Charter to update and modernize several of its provisions. A city charter functions as the city's local constitution by establishing the city's form of government and certain rules for its operation. The proposed amendments would correct typographical errors, replace gender -specific terms with gender -neutral language, improve consistency throughout the Charter, update outdated terminology, and revise provisions to better reflect current state law and C ity practices. In addition, the measure would make the following specific changes to the Mountain View Charter: • clarify that the term "qualified elector" as used on the Charter has the same meaning as the term “elector” under California law; • extend the period for the City Council to fill a vacancy on the Council by appointment or calling a special election from 30 days to 60 days; • remove the requirement that ordinances and resolutions, or their titles, be read before adoption; • revise Charter Section 515 to require a roll -call vote on ordinances only when requested by a Councilmember or otherwise required by law; • update Section 709 to remove outdated references to maintaining “books” and instead refer generally to City records; • authorize the City Council to establish membership qualifications for boards, commissions, and committees that are created by ordinance or resolution while retaining existing membership requirements for the boards and commissions established by the Charter; • clarify the staggered -term requirements for boards, commissions, and committees in Section 902; • clarify that action by a board, commission, or committee shall be taken by majority vote of the members then in office, excluding vacant positions, provided that the number of members then in office is not less than a quorum of the entire membership; and • revise one provision in the Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act to update references to the Mountain View City Code. The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure ____. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the City of Mountain View City Clerk’s Office at [phone number omitted], and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Official ballot arguments

Filed for the official voter guide by each side, printed as submitted.

The official arguments will appear here once both sides’ arguments are on file.