WHAT DOES 3-552 ACTUALLY DO?
Fact:
Myth:
Measure 3-552 would clarify the Council’s direct authority over all of the City's legal services.
No, it won't! Measure 3-552 adds absolutely nothing to the City Council’s relationship to the City Attorney.
It may be tough to know what's actually in Measure 3-552, since the actual text of the measure has not been provided to voters. Instead, the City opted to send a "summary" and "explanation" to instead, neither of which bear much relationship to the actual text.
The actual changes that Measure 3-552 would make to our City Charter are in Section 6 of City Resolution 2019-13.
(The resolution passed by a narrow 3-2 vote, with Mayor Axelrod and Councilor Walters voting 'no'.)
Despite all the promises in the proponents' campaign, here's the only changes that Measure 3-552 would make to our City Charter:
Add to Section 8:
“The Council may retain legal advisors as it deems prudent. The legal advisors shall report to and serve at the discretion of the Council."
Adds the underlined text to Section 23:
“The City Manager shall have no control, however, over the office of City Attorney or the strictly judicial activities of the Municipal Judge."
This is superfluous. The Council already has this power.
This only eliminates oversight of the City Attorney by the Manager. It does not prohibit hiring staff attorneys.
None of the changes limit the City Manager's ability to hire staff attorneys, which -- according to the proponents of Measure 3-552 -- was the entire point.
