HUNTINGTON BEACH : City to Hold Vote on Charter Amendments

The City Council has decided to hold a special election March 26 to allow Huntington Beach residents to vote on two charter amendments and a proposal to create a citywide assessment district to pay for beach and park improvements.

Voters will be asked to decide whether the city treasurer and city attorney should be appointed, instead of elected as they are now.

To ensure that the public will continue to be involved in the selection process, the ballot measure will include a proposal by Councilman Ralph Bauer that a citizens committee screen candidates. The final selection would then be made by the city administrator and confirmed by the council.

Councilmen Dave Garofalo and Peter Green opposed different parts of the final ballot proposal that was approved.

Garofalo spoke against having a citizens committee screen treasurer and city attorney candidates, arguing that the entire process should be in the hands of the city administrator.

And Green said he is opposed to placing the assessment district proposal on the March ballot because, if voter turnout is low, the outcome might not reflect the sentiment of the entire community.

Under the proposal, residents would be assessed between $12 and $36 a year to raise $25 million for park and beach improvements.