League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Diego County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Proposition G City Charter Adoption City of Escondido Majority Approval Required Fail: 9629 / 37.24% Yes votes ...... 16229 / 62.76% No votes See Also: Index of all Propositions

Arguments For Proposition G	Arguments Against Proposition G
Voting YES to make Escondido a Charter city, empowers our citizens to take control of our city, protect taxpayers, and prevent Sacramento from wasting our tax dollars. After careful study, the City Council voted to ask our residents to choose to become a charter city subject to our state Constitution's "home rule" provisions. These provisions are based on the concept that residents of a city, rather than state legislators, best know their city's needs. As a charter city, power over city matters is transferred from the state to our residents through their elected representatives. Sacramento politicians have confiscated city resources to pay for the billion-dollar deficits they've created, while creating unfunded mandates on our local government. State lawmakers have imposed numerous statutes governing uncharted cities which reflect the values of a majority in the legislature, not necessarily a majority in Escondido, which is the reason that more than onehalf of the state's population has chosen to adopt charters for their cities. The charter: Transfers power away from Sacramento, into the hands of Escondido residents-where it belongs. Saves millions in tax dollars, requiring competitive bidding for services and ensure fair and open competition for all public projects. Prohibits City councilmembers from unilaterally raising their own salaries. Keeps your tax dollars local, by protecting city revenues from diversion by the state. Preserves all existing anti-corruption laws, ensuring open, honest government. Voters in Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Del Mar, Santee, and San Diego have chosen to become Charter cities. Now it's our turn. By joining these cities and the majority of California's citizens, Escondido's voters will claim their right to self-government through home-rule. Vote YES to put Escondido's priorities ahead of Sacramento's. YES to local control. YES to taxpayer protection. YES to the Escondido Charter. http://www.charterEscondido.com SAM ABED Mayor of Escondido RORIE JOHNSTON President, Escondido Chamber of Commerce JOSE MONFORTE Escondido Business Owner DENNIS "COACH" SNYDER Founder, Escondido Charter High School JOHN MASSON Council Member, City of Escondido Rebuttal to Arguments For Rebuttal to argument in favor of Proposition G + Charter City _______________________________________________________________________ For taxpayer protection VOTE NO on Prop. G Proponents claim Prop. G will give `home rule' protection to Escondido. NOT TRUE! Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, a Republican, says charter status has not helped his city escape state mandates. Those in favor claim charter status will transfer power to local residents. NOT TRUE! The charter puts power in the hands of a very few powerful politicians. And, it eliminates taxpayer protections and accountability provided by General Law. Read the argument in favor carefully! It admits that charter power goes to three Council members, NOT to Escondido taxpayers. Claims that millions of dollars will be saved under charter status have not been proven. Escondido taxpayers should not be fooled by the clever language that says the Council cannot raise its salary. NOT TRUE! It limits only salary, not total compensation. Car allowances, pay for service on boards and commissions, health plans and excessive retirement benefits ARE NOT LIMITED. Escondido, as a general law city, is required to balance its budget. The charter removes this important taxpayer protection. Voters in many cities now regret their decision to become charter cities. The three charter cities of San Bernardino, Stockton, and Vallejo have gone bankrupt. VOTE NO, AGAIN, on a new constitution. VOTE NO, AGAIN, on removing taxpayer protections. VOTE NO, AGAIN, on the politician power grab. Vote NO on Proposition G -- it's risky, unnecessary and misleading. Learn more at http://www.EscondidoCharterWatch.org OLGA DIAZ Deputy Mayor LUCY J. BERK Historian/Preservationist SID HOLLINS Former Mayor SID COLQUITT Retired Banker JIM WOOD Mayor of Oceanside	There is no public demand for charter status - the City Council majority put it on the ballot. Not one resident spoke in favor of the change at five public comment opportunities. In 2012, Escondido voters rejected a charter city proposal. So why is it back on the ballot? Proposition G is a power grab, an unnecessary and dangerous change. Like 75% of California cities, Escondido operates under General Law, which protects the taxpayer and has worked well since 1888. But a few bad decisions under a charter can result in a bankrupt Escondido. Ask San Bernardino, Vallejo, or Stockton -- charter cities that went broke. Proposition G contains serious loopholes and weaknesses. There is no reason to rewrite our city's constitution and grant broad and unrestrained new powers to the City Council. Charter status: Gives unchecked power to as few as three Council members. Despite its claims of local control, charter status does not exempt Escondido from Sacramento's state mandates. Removes the General Law requirement for a balanced city budget. Encourages back-room secret deals and favoritism by allowing contracts without competitive bidding or assuring competence of contractors. Allows the Council to give taxpayer funds to special interests with no conditions attached. Empowers the City Council to increase its own pay and compensation package. Allows the City Council to override zoning by granting conditional use permits, ignoring the will of the citizens who passed the General Plan. Requires frequent costly elections + $50,000 to $75,000 each time + to change. Could lead to expensive litigation because charter law is unsettled. Becoming a charter city will shift power from the people of Escondido into the hands of a few powerful politicians. Escondido does not need a new constitution! Vote "NO" - again -- on Charter City. Learn more: http://www.escondidocharterwatch.org SID HOLLINS Former Mayor, 72-YR Resident SID COLQUITT JOHN E. VALDEZ Professor, Palomar College OLGA DIAZ Deputy Mayor of Escondido DON GREENE Chair, Escondido Taxpayers Association Rebuttal to Arguments Against Contrary to claims made by Charter opponents, backed by big labor, the only "Power grab," the Charter represents is Escondido voters standing up to take power back from the hands of Sacramento bureaucrats and big labor. The Charter is about local control and local values, plain and simple. Sacramento is a mess because of big government, Escondido doesn't have to be. Escondido is the 37th largest of the 478 incorporated cities in California and we continue to grow, building new homes, new schools and new businesses that create jobs for our citizens. Escondido is finally on the right track to prosperous growth and a vibrant economy and we need the power to shape our government locally. FICTION: Charter grants unchecked authority to council members FACT: Council authority is still limited by state laws and by voters FICTION: Charter allows "back room deals" FACT: California's open government law, "The Brown Act" still applies fully under the charter FICTION: Charter allows council to "give" taxpayer funds to special interests with no conditions FACT: This claim is totally false, State law will still prohibit "give-aways" FICTION: Charter will not allow for competitive bidding or assure competence of contractors FACT: Charter status will NOT end competitive bidding FACT: Big Labor opposes the Charter initiative almost exclusively on the grounds that it will allow our City to negotiate free-market prices paid for work done with city funds. Vote YES on the Charter City, yes for Escondido Taxpayers and Yes to local control. http://www.CharterEscondido.com BARRY JANTZ Vice-President San Diego Taxpayers Association MARIE WALDRON CA State Assembly Former Escondido Mayor GEORGE WEIR Business Owner ROSALIE ZAMORA Escondido Resident