1 MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING – CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 6, 2024
4:00 P.M.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 250 East L Street, complete proceedings of which are recorded. These are action minutes; a full video is available online at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agendas.
1) ACCESSING THE MEETING
2) CALL SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor Young called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
3) CONVENE OPEN SESSION
4) ROLL CALL
All Council Members were present.
5) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
6) REFERENCE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC
7) ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
On motion of Council Member Birdseye, seconded by Vice Mayor Scott, Council approved the Adoption of the Agenda, as presented, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Birdseye, Council Member Campbell, Council Member Macenski, Vice Mayor Scott, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
8) OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
9) WRITTEN COMMENT
10) PUBLIC COMMENT
None
11) CONSENT CALENDAR
2 11.A - RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL
ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024 AND FEES RELATED TO THAT
ELECTION (City Clerk)
Staff Report - Calling for 2024 General Municipal Election
1. Resolution - Calling for 2024 General Municipal Election RESOLUTION 24-74 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BENICIA CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE HOLDING OF A
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER ,2024, FOR THE ELECTION OF ONE (1) MAYOR, TWO (2) CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ONE (1) CITY CLERK, ONE (1) CITY TREASURER,
AND AS REQUIRED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA RELATING TO GENERAL LAW CITIES AND WAIVING
THE FEES FOR CANDIDATES IF CANDIDATE SIGNS THE VOLUNTARY
CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
11.B - RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR AND REQUESTING THE
SOLANO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PERMIT THE
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO PROVIDE SPECIFIED SERVICES IN
CONNECTION WITH THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO
BE HELD NOVEMBER 5, 2024 (City Clerk)
Staff Report - Consolidation of the 2024 General Municipal Election
1. Resolution - Calling for 2024 General Municipal Election
2. Registrar of Voters Fee Schedule
RESOLUTION NO. 24-75 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BENICIA PROVIDING FOR AND REQUESTING THE SOLANO
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PERMIT THE GENERAL
MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 5, 2024
On motion of Council Member Birdseye, seconded by Vice Mayor Scott, Council approved the adoption of the Consent Calendar, as presented, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Birdseye, Council Member Campbell, Council Member Macenski, Vice Mayor Scott, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
12) BUSINESS ITEM
12.A - ACTION PLACING CITIZEN INITIATIVE OF ½ CENT SPECIAL
LOCAL TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX (LOCAL SALES TAX) FOR
STREETS MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024 BALLOT (Deputy
City Manager)
3 Staff Report - Approval to Place Citizens Initiative on November 5 Ballot
1. Resolution - Special Transactions and Use Tax - ½ Cent Measure - November 5, 2024 Ballot
2. Citizen Initiative Ballot Language_Redacted
RESOLUTION NO. 24-76 - RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BENICIA SUBMITTING AN INITIATIVE TITLED “CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE ADDING A SPECIAL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX OF 0.5% IN
THE CITY OF BENICIA TO BE USED TO REPAIR AND IMPROVE STREETS AND ROADS IN THE CITY” TO VOTERS
Sarah Shawky, Deputy City Manager, reviewed the staff report and a PowerPoint presentation.
Council and Staff discussed the issue of citizen oversight, the committee (made of up volunteers) has been working with Staff to finalize the committee, the proposed tax is a special tax - not a general tax that is legally bound to spent on roads, and the funds would go into the capital improvement budget for roads and contracting materials (not city staff).
Public Comment:
None
12.B - APPROVAL TO PLACE THE CITY CHARTER BALLOT
MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024 BALLOT (City Manager)
Staff Report - Approval to Place City Charter on November 5, 2024 Ballot
1. Resolution - Place the City Charter Ballot Measure on the November 5, 2024 Ballot RESOLUTION 24-77 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BENICIA SUBMITTING A BALLOT MEASURE TO VOTERS To Approve AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BENICIA ESTABLISHING THE CITY OF BENICIA AS A CHARTER CITY AND ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 1A (CITY OF BENICIA CHARTER) TO THE
BENICIA MUNICIPAL CODE SOLELY WITH RESPECT TO THE POWERS
OVER MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS IN RELATION TO MUNICIPAL REVENUES
INCLUDING TAXATION AND ASSESSMENT, AND A SYSTEM FOR THE
IMPOSITION, LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A TAX ON THE CONVEYANCE
OF REAL PROPERTY BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE REAL PROPERTY IN
ADDITION TO THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED BY CALIFORNIA REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE SECTION 11911
Mario Giuliani, City Manager. reviewed the staff report and PowerPoint presentation.
Council and Staff discussed why the limited charter and Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) were not on one measure, why the City would not take full advantage of Charter City flexibility, and how much of the money would go to roads.
4 Public Comment:
None
On motion of Council Member Birdseye, seconded by Vice Mayor Scott, Council approved the adoption of Resolution 24-77, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Birdseye, Council Member Campbell, Council Member Macenski, Vice Mayor Scott, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
12.C - APPROVAL TO PLACE THE REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX BALLOT MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024 BALLOT (City
Manager)
Staff Report - Approval to Place RPTT on November 5 Ballot
1. Resolution Option 1 - Place Two-Tier RPTT Measure on the November 5, 2024 Ballot
2. Resolution Option 2 - Place Three-Tier RPTT Measure on the November 5, 2024 Ballot
RESOLUTION NO. 24-78 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BENICIA SUBMITTING A BALLOT MEASURE TO VOTERS To Approve AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BENICIA FOR THE IMPOSITION, LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A TAX ON
THE CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE
REAL PROPERTY IN ADDITION TO THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED BY
CALIFORNIA REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE SECTION 11911
Public Comment:
1. Jenny Castaneda - Ms. Castaneda spoke in support of the proposed actions Council was taking tonight.
2. Rod Herman - Mr. Herman spoke in support of the proposed action. He inquired about which oversight committee would oversee this item.
Mr. Giuliani discussed the issue of internal and external oversight.
All Council Members spoke in support of the three-tier option.
On motion of Council Member Birdseye, seconded by Vice Mayor Scott, Council approved the adoption of Resolution 24-78, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Birdseye, Council Member Campbell, Council Member Macenski, Vice Mayor Scott, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
13) ADJOURNMENT (5:30 P.M.)
5 Mayor Young adjourned the meeting at 4:45 p.m.
Deputy City Clerk