SR-11-J
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Cal1fornia, December 5, 1978
Santa ~onica,
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FROM
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Mayor and City Council
City Clerk
DEe 1 2 1976
SUBJECT: Charter Amendment Regarding Publicat10n of Ordinances
Introduction
Th1S report transmIts a recommendation for placement of a charter
amendment on the ballot of April 10, 1979 regard1ng publication
of ordinances.
Background
Pursuant to Section 617 of the CIty Charter, the City Clerk 1S
presently required to publish each ordinance at least once In the
official newspaper withtn fifteen days after its adopt1on. The
cost to the City 1S $4~OO to $6,000 annually, if no major code
revisIons are completJft.\ In the latter event costs would spiral
unpredIctably.
The State code allows a summary of each ordinance to be publIshed
"at least five days prIor to adoption and within fifteen days
after adoptlon.1t I opposed th1S legislation for reasons stated in
my communicatIon to Governor Brown, a copy of whIch is attached
for your information. In any event, since the City Charter 15 more
restrict1ve than the State code, the Charter provision obtains.
In my opinIon, a concise summary of each ordinance would better
serve to inform the publIC, Slnce it would not be necessary to
attempt a lengthy reading of all the part1culars 1n order to inform
oneself of laws enacted by the City. I am not in favor of publIshing
a summary of each ordlnance before adoption because of the doubled
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Mayor and City Council
-2-
December 5, 1978
monetary and staff time costs to the City without foreseeable
benefits to the taxpayer.
Other charter cities' requlrements range from no action, to posting,
or publicatIon of full text of ordinances wlthin fifteen days of
adoptIon.
The estImated cost of thIS ballot measure would be $1,000.
Recommendation
It lS recommended that the City Attorney be dIrected to prepare a
resolution p1aclng on the April 10, 1979 ballot, a charter amendment
allowing publication of a summary of each ordinance adopted by the
City within flfteen days of adoptlon and providing an analysis,
the amended charter language and wording of the measure within
said resolutIon.
Prepared by: Joyce Snider