Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 1 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTOF
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
Amend ARTICLE III., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, Section 300., Members, Eligibility and Terms as follows:
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Sec. 300.
Members, Eligibility, and Terms.
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(E)
Limitation on Consecutive Terms. Councilmembers and Mayors may serve up to, but no more than, two three consecutive terms in their respective offices. Any person who has held the office of Councilmember or Mayor for a period of two three consecutive terms may again seek election to the office of Councilmember or Mayor, respectively, by submitting nomination papers to the City Clerk for such office, but may not do so until a period of one year has elapsed from the termination of their third second term as Councilmember or Mayor, respectively. Any person appointed by the Council to fill the office of Councilmember or Mayor may not seek election to said office of Councilmember or Mayor by submitting nomination papers to the City Clerk for such office until a period of one year after the termination of the appointed term has elapsed. Said appointee shall be eligible to seek nomination and election for three two full terms thereafter. Any person elected in a special election for the balance of a regular term of Councilmember or Mayor for a period of two years or less may seek nomination and election for three two full terms thereafter. For purposes of the term limits in this Article III., Sections 300 and 303 or any other term limit for elected officials under this Charter, terms of office commenced before July 1, 2026, are not to be considered or counted. ***
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 2 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
Amend ARTICLE III., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, Section 302., Compensation for Councilmembers, as follows:
Sec. 302.
Compensation for Councilmembers.
(A) Effective January 1, 2027, the four Council members shall exercise their functions during such hours and times as shall be necessary to discharge in full the duties imposed upon them.
Prior to January 1, 2027, tThe four Councilmembers shall receive, as compensation for their services, a salary equal to 40% of the salary of the Mayor. As of January 1, 2027, the four Councilmembers shall receive, as compensation for their services, a salary set by a Salary Setting Commission appointed as set forth in Article VI, Section 606(C)(4) of this Charter; provided that the minimum salary for a member of the Council shall be not less than 45% of the salary of a Judge of the Superior Court of the State . They shall also be entitled to receive reimbursement for Council-authorized and budgeted travel and other expenses when on official duty of the City consistent with City policies. The City Council may also provide, by resolution, for the payment to Councilmembers of an allowance of a sum certain per month to reimburse them for the additional demands and expenses made upon and incurred by them in serving as Councilmembers.
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***Amend ARTICLE III., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, Section 303., Vacancies, as follows:
Sec. 303.
Vacancies.
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(C)
Filling Vacancies: Appointments and Special Elections.
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(5) Future Election of Appointee to Elected Office. Any person who is appointed by the Council to fill the office of Councilmember or Mayor, as provided in Charter Section 303(C), may not seek nomination and election to said offices of Councilmember or Mayor until a Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 3 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. period of one year from the termination of the appointed term has elapsed. Said appointee shall be eligible to seek nomination and election for two three full terms thereafter. ***
Amend ARTICLE III., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, Section 304., Presiding Officer, Mayor, as follows:
Sec. 304.
Presiding Officer, Mayor.
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(B)
Compensation. Prior to January 1, 2027, Tthe Mayor shall receive an annual salary equivalent to 66% of the salary of a Judge of the Superior Court of the State. As of January 1, 2027, the Mayor’s compensation shall be set by a Salary Setting Commission appointed as set forth in Article VI, Section 606(C)(4) of this Charter; provided that the Mayor’s annual salary for the period from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 3031, shall not be reduced below the dollar amount in effect as of December 31, 2026 . The Mayor shall also be entitled to receive reimbursement for Council-authorized and budgeted travel and other expenses when on official duty out of the City consistent with City policies. The City Council may also provide, by resolution, for the payment to the Mayor of an allowance of a sum certain per month, as reimbursement for the additional demands and expenses made upon and incurred by the Mayor.
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Amend ARTICLE III., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, by adding a new Section 313, City Council Committees, as follows:
Sec. 313.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 4 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
City Council Committees.
(A) (A) The City Council shall have a Budget, Government Accountability and Efficiency Committee. Two Councilmembers shall be appointed to this Committee at the first business meeting of the City Council in January of each calendar year and shall serve for the balance of the calendar year. The Budget, Government Accountability and Efficiency Committee shall meet no less than quarterly and shall provide members of the public a venue for commenting on issues related to the City budget, government accountability, effectiveness and efficiency. It shall also conduct such other hearings and provide such other recommendations for action to the full City Council as the City Council may so direct.
(B) The City Council shall have a Public and Traffic Safety Committee. Two Councilmembers shall be appointed to this Committee at the first business meeting of the City Council in January of each calendar year and shall serve for the balance of the calendar year. The Public and Traffic Safety Committee shall meet no less than quarterly and shall provide members of the public a venue for commenting on issues related to public safety, traffic and traffic safety. It shall also conduct such other hearings and provide such other recommendations for action to the full City Council as the City Council may so direct.
(C) The City Council may establish, by ordina nce, such other Committees as it deems fit and delegate to such Committee such hearings and responsibilities to recommend actions to the full City Council as the City Council may direct.
(D) The responsibilities and duties of al l Council Committees shall include strict observance of any limitations on Committee actions imposed by applicable law.
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Amend ARTICLE V., OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, Section 503., City Attorney: Election, Powers and Duties, as follows:
Sec. 503.
City Attorney: Election, Powers and Duties.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 5 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. ***
(C)
Election; Compensation. The City Attorney shall be nominated and elected in the same manner and at the same election as the Mayor, except as otherwise provided in this Charter Section 503. Prior to January 1, 2027, Tthe annual salary of the elected City Attorney shall be equivalent to the salary of a Judge of the Superior Court of the State. As of January 1, 2027, the annual salary of the elected City Attorney shall be as established by the Salary Setting Commission appointed as provided in Article VI, Section 606(C)(4) of this Charter. . The City Attorney shall also receive reimbursement for budgeted travel and other expenses when on official duty out of the City consistent with City policies. The City Council may also provide, by resolution, for the payment of an allowance of a sum certain per month, as reimbursement for additional demands and expenses made upon and incurred by the City Attorney. In addition, the City Attorney shall be entitled to such benefits as are granted to other department heads of the City, as established by the City Council.
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Amend ARTICLE V., MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, Section 506.,City Council Authority to Add or Consolidate Functions, as follows:
Sec. 506.
City Council Authority to Add or Consolidate Functions. ***
(C)
Transfer To or Consolidation With State, County, or Other City Governments. TExcept with respect to the City Ethics Commission, the City Council may also transfer or consolidate functions of the City government to or with appropriate functions of the State, County, or other city government, or may make use of such functions of the State, County, or other city governments to supplement or replace City functions. In such case, the provisions of this Charter providing for the function of the City government so transferred or consolidated shall be suspended and shall be covered by ordinance or resolution establishing such transfer or consolidation. Any such transfer or consolidation may be repealed in like manner. ***
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 6 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
Amend ARTICLE VI., APPOINTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, Section 602, Appointments, Terms and Vacancies, as follows:
Sec. 602.
Appointments, Terms, and Vacancies.
(A)
Appointments and Terms. TExcept for the City Salary Setting Commission, the members of each City board or commission shall be appointed, and shall be subject to removal, by action of the City Council. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, Members of the City Ethics Commission and Salary Setting Commission shall only be subject to removal for cause. The members of such boards and commissions shall serve for a term of four years and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Board and commission members shall be limited to a maximum of two consecutive terms and an interval of two years must pass before a person who has served two consecutive terms may be reappointed to the body upon which the member had served. For the purpose of this Charter Section 602, an appointment to fill an initial term or an unexpired term of less than two years in duration shall not be considered as a term; however, any appointment to fill an initial term or an unexpired term in excess of two years shall be considered to be a full term.
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Amend Article VI., APPOINTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, Section 606., Civil Service Commission, as follows:
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Sec. 606.
Civil Service Commission.
(C)
Powers and Duties. The Civil Service Commission shall have the power and duty to:
(1) Recommend to the City Council, after a public hearing thereon, the adoption, amendment or repeal of civil service rules and regulations not in conflict with this Article;
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 7 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
(2) Hear appeals of any person in the Cla ssified Service relative to any suspension, demotion or dismissal;
(3) Conduct any investigation which it may consider desirable concerning the administration of personnel in the municipal service and report its findings to the City Council; and
(4) Appoint five members of a Salary Setting Commission with the duties set forth in Charter Article VI, Section 608, and such other duties and powers as the City Council may, by ordinance or resolution, confer upon the Salary Setting Commission in order to achieve its purpose of implementing Charter Article VI, Section 608 ___. The Civil Service Commission shall also have the authority to remove members of the Salary Setting Commission for cause. To be eligible for appointment to the Salary Setting Commission, the appointee must be a Rresidents of the City of Chula Vista, be at least 18 years of age, not be related by blood or marriage to any city officer or employee, and not be employed by the City of Chula Vista or any business, venture or other entity which is owned, operated, managed or controlled by any elected city officer or employee.
(54) Such other duties and powers as the City Council may, by ordinance or resolution, confer upon the Commission in order to carry out the principles of civil service in accordance with the laws of the State and this Charter and to assist in the implementation of proper employer-employee relations.
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Amend Article VI., APPOINTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, by adding a new Section, Section 608, City Ethics Commission, as follows:
Section 608.
City Ethics Commission.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 8 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. (A) Establishment and pPurpose. The purpose of the City Ethics Commission (“CEC”) shall be to supervise the investigation of, and enforce, alleged violations of any provisions of this Charter or ordinances relating to campaign finance, lobbyist registration and regulation, revolving door rules and public official gift bans as the City Council may enact and assign to the CEC for enforcement. Ancillary to these purposes, the CEC will provide ethics training to candidates for elective city office and elected city officials. The City Council may expand the scope of the CEC’s ethics training responsibilities by ordinance.
Members of the CEC should be aware that they are in a unique position of trust given their role under this Charter and, as such, must strive to avoid any appearance of bias or partiality. Accordingly, they should be aware that their conduct and actions will be scrutinized by the public at all times, but particularly during the election cycle. (B) Membership. The CEC shall consist of seven (7) members. The City Council may establish, by ordinance, any procedures for appointment and removal it deems appropriate; provided the procedures are consistent with the Charter. (C) Additional Qualifications.
(1) During his or her tenure, a member of the CEC may not hold any other elected or appointed public office, including, without limitation, any elective office in any jurisdiction, shall not be an employee of any holder of an elected or appointed public office, a member of a public body whose members are appointed by an elected official, or any employee of such public body.
(2) If a CEC member, during his or /her term of office, desires to participate in the campaign of, or publicly support or oppose, a City candidate or elective City officer, such CEC member shall first resign from the Commission. Failure to resign before such participation or support shall be grounds for removal from the Commission. (3) No person shall be appointed as a member of the CEC or shall be entitled to retain such membership if she or he, within the past ten (10) years prior to the date of appointment or during his or her term has been convicted of a any felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, is found to have committed a criminal violation of the Fair Political Practices Act or has a conflict of interest as provided in this Charter or any municipal ordinance. Further, no person shall be appointed as a member of the CEC, or Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 9 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. shall be entitled to retain his or her their membership if she or he is related to an elected City official.
(4) No person may serve as a CEC member whose profession, occupation, or employment consist of (a) providing services to candidates for public office or to elected officials within the City; (b) engaging in public affairs or legislative liaison services for an employer doing business with the City, or with any Joint Powers Authority of which the City is a participant or /member, or with any Special District covering the City. (D) Meeting Schedule.: The CEC’s meeting schedule shall include one regular meeting per quarter, at a day, time and location established by written resolution of the CEC. The City Attorney, or his or her designee, shall shall cause notice of the meetings of the CEC to be kept and distributed. The City Attorney, or his or her designee, shall also give appropriate and required written notice of all meetings to all members persons having business before the CEC.
The agenda for regular meetings of the CEC, unless modified by a majority vote at a meeting of the CEC, shall include:
1. Roll call of members.
2. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
3. Amendment or approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
4. Consideration of matters continued from the previous meeting.
5. Consideration of new matters related to enforcement.
6. Consideration of proposed or existing state legislating in the field of ethics, lobbying, gift bans and campaign finance and proposals for amendments to any Chula Vista ordinance or Charter provisions within the CEC’s jurisdiction.
7. Other business.
8. Oral communication.
(E) Duties. With the assistance of the City A ttorney, the CEC or its designee shall:
(1) Investigate potential violations within the CEC’s jurisdiction.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 10 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. (2) Receive written complaints alleging possible violations of any Charter provision or Ordinance within the CEC’s jurisdiction.
(3) Obtain from the ,appropriate filing officer, copies of campaign statements of City candidates and other City political committees and any other reports required by the Political Reform Act for any candidate or officeholder of the City. (4) Prescribe forms for reports, statements, notices and other documents required by any Charter provision or Ordinance within the CEC’s jurisdiction. (5) Issue subpoenas duces tecum for bank records of campaign accounts of City candidates, elective officeholders and any other City political committee. (6) Issue other subpoenas duces tecum in connection with compliance investigations and enforcement proceedngsproceedings in accordance with any rules and procedures prescribed by ordinance.;
(7)(6) Provide any training within the CEC’s jurisdiction. (8) In its discretion as part of compliance or enforcement activities, cause an audit to be performed of City elective officers and City candidates' campaign accounts to ensure compliance with any Charter provision or ordinance governing such accounts. (9) Provide compliance-related advice to any person concerning the requesting party's duties under any Charter provision or ordinance within the CEC’s jurisdiction. (F) City Council authorization to further define the duties and responsibilities of the CEC. The CEC shall have responsibility for the impartial and effective administration, implementation and enforcement of the Charter provisions and ordinance(s) within its jurisdiction. To the extent not set forth in this Charter, the City Council shall provide by ordinance the procedures for the accomplishment of the CEC’”s duties and fulfillment of its responsibilities, including:
(1) A prohibition on any CEC member initia ting, permitting, or considering ex parte communications, that is, any communications to or from the CEC member outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending investigation, enforcement proceeding, or appeal;
(2) Investigatory and enforcement procedures; and
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 11 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. (3) Remedial authority. authority;
(G) Additional Responsibilities. The CEC shall review the City’s campaign finance, conflict of interest, gift ban and lobbying rules, and recommend to the City Council such modifications as it may deem fit. To the extent there are not such rules, the CEC shall make such recommendations to the City Council for the substantive content thereof as the CEC deems fit. ***
Amend Article VI., APPOINTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, by adding a new Section, Section 609, Salary Setting Commission, as follows:
Sec. 609.
Salary Setting Commission.
(A) The Salary Setting Commission shall establish the salaries of the Mayor, the City Council and City Attorney.
(1) No salary shall be established for the Mayor, members of the City Council, or City Attorney, except as provided in this Article VI, Section 609 of this Charter. (2) For the purposes of this Section 609 of this Charter, the term “salary” shall mean the base salary exclusive of fringe benefit payments. (B) The minimum salary for the Mayor shall be 70% of the salary of a Judge of the Superior Court of the State. The minimum salary for a member of the City Council shall be 45% of the salary of a Judge of the Superior Court of the State. The minimum salary for the City Attorney shall be salary in place as of December31, 2026. (C) Commencing in 2027, the process for establishing the salary for the Mayor and City Council shall be as follows:.
(1) Between March 1st and April 30th commencing in 2027, and every five (5) years thereafter, the Salary Setting Commission shall set the amount of the base salary which it deems appropriate for the Mayor and City Council, commencing July 1 of that year. The base salary shall be in an amount which takes into Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 12 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. account the nature of the offices and which is consistent with this Charter and commensurate with salaries then being paid to other public or private positions having similar duties, responsibilities and obligations. (2) Failure of the Commission to make a determination of salary amounts in any year within the time prescribed shall be deemed to mean that there is no change to the base salary, other than the cost of living adjustment provided for in Subsection F of this Article VI., Section 609, shall be made. (D) Commencing in 2027, the process for establishing the salary for the City Attorney shall be as follows:
(1) Between March 1st and April 30th commencing in 2027, and every year thereafter, the Salary Setting Commission shall set the amount of the base salary which it deems appropriate for the City Attorney, commencing July 1 of that year according to the formula in this Subsection (D) of Section 609 of this Charter. The City Council shall designate, as of February of each year, the six California cities whose populations are closest to the City using the most current annual population estimates published by the California Department of Finance. The Commission shall then determine the base salary to be an amount which takes into account the nature of the offices, is consistent with this Charter and which Is commensurate with salaries then being paid to city attorneys in those six cities.
In the event that the city attorney of any comparable city is not an employee of that city, the compensation for such city attorney shall not be used as a comparison and the city with the next higher and/or next lower population, as applicable, shall be used in the comparison.
(2) As soon after the City Council has designated the six cities, but in no event later than the last day of March of each year, the City, through the City Manager or designee of the City Manager, shall, for each comparable city as identified in Subsection D(1) if this Section 609, obtain a copy of the employment contract for the City Attorney, along with any other documentation necessary to demonstrate the City Attorney’s compensation. This data shall be used by the Commission to calculate the minimum compensation of the City Attorney. The minimum compensation as calculated by the City Manager or designee of the City Manager Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 13 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. shall be made available to the public within a reasonable time after the calculation is approved by the Commission but no later than May of each year. (E) The Salary Setting Commission’s determination of the Mayor, City Council member and City Attorney salaries, together with the reasons therefor, shall be made in writing and submitted to the City Manager no later than a date established by ordinance so that funds can be budgeted and appropriated for that purpose. Before it submits any such determination to the City Manager, the Commission shall conduct at least one public hearing on the matter. When such a determination has been submitted to the City Manager, it shall not thereafter be amended by the Commission. (F) With respect to the salaries of the Mayor and members of the City Council, commencing July 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, except as otherwise determined by the Salary Setting Commission in its five-year review, in order to provide a cost of living adjustment, the base salaries of the Mayor and City Attorney shall increase by a percentage equal to the percentage increase of the preceding calendar year’s annual average of the Consumer Price index-Urban (CPI-U), or successor index, for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event shall the cost of living increase exceed 5% per year.
(G) The Council may, at any time, by ordinance, forego any cost of living increase otherwise payable to members of the Council.
(H) For Each member of the Council, except the Mayor, a sum, as established by the Salary Setting Commission, shall be deducted from the salary of each Council member for each regular meeting of the City Council, other than regular adjourned meetings, which they fail to attend in each calendar month; provided, however, that such deduction shall not be made for their failure to attend any meeting during which they are away on authorized City business, or from which they are absent because of their own illness or the illness of a close relative, as defined by the applicable Council ordinance or resolution.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 14 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
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Amend ARTICLE X., FISCAL ADMINISTRATIONI, by adding a new Section, Section 1013, PUBLIC CONTRACTING, as follows:
Sec. 1013.
Public Contracting.
(A) Mandatory Disclosures. Every person or entity contracting with the City shall first disclose to the City Clerk the names and identities of all natural persons who will receive more than 10% of the contracted amount or who own more than 10% of the entity contracting with the City, where the City will be expending or receiving more than the amounts established by ordinance of the City Council or where the City Council approval is required by this Charter or by ordinance. Contracts subject to this Subsection (A) of Section 1013 of this Charter include, but are not limited to:
(1), contracts awarded pursuant to Article X of this Charter , where the City will be expending or receiving more than the amounts established by ordinance of the City Council or where the City Council approval is required by this Charter or by ordinance;
(2) transfers of interest s in the City's real or personal property;, and
(3) grants or renewals of franchises pursuant to this Charter.
The same disclosure shall be made to the City Clerk by every person or entity later receiving or assuming any rights or obligations under such contracts where City approval is required to transfer such rights or obligations. This Subsection (A) of Sect ion 1203 of this Charter does not apply to public agencies, or to entities that are publicly traded companies listed on a stock exchange in the United States.
(B) Failure to Truthfully or Fully Disclose. The City may reject a proposed contract, terminate a current contract, or rescind a prior contract, if any person or entity submits false information or omits information required to be disclosed by this Section 1013 of this Charter.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 15 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
(C) Provision of Disclosure Information to the City Council., The City Clerk shall provide the City Council with the disclosures received from every person or entity contracting with the City where City Council approval is required, prior to the City Council meeting where the contract will be considered. If the person or entity the City will be contracting with has not been determined by the date of the City Council meeting, the City Clerk shall provide the City Council with the disclosures at least fifteen days prior to awarding the contract.
(D) Other Disclosures. Nothing in this Section 1013 of this Charter shall preclude the City from requiring disclosure of any other information from persons or entities contracting with the City.
(E) No Favoritism in City Contracting. No elected official, officer or employee of the City shall favor one bidder over another by giving or withholding information, nor shall any elected official, officer or employee of the City willfully mislead any bidder in regard to the character of the material or supplies called for, nor knowingly accept materials or supplies of a quality inferior to that called for by the contract, or shall knowingly certify to a greater amount of labor performed than has actually been performed, or to the receipt of a greater amount of materials or supplies than has actually been received.
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Amend Article XII., MISCELLANEOUS, by adding a new Section, Section 1206, LOBBYING AND LOBBYIST REGISTRATION, as follows:
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 16 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
Sec.. 1206.
Lobbying and Lobbyist Registration.
(A) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall be defined as follows:
(1) "Lobbyist" means any individual or entity employed, retained or otherwise engaged for compensation to communicate with any elective or appointed official, any officer or employee or any task force, committee, board, commission or other body of the City for the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action.
(2) "Municipal legislation" means resolutions, motions, appeals, applications, petitions, nominations, ordinances, amendments and other matters pending or proposed before the City Council or any of its committees, or before any board or commission, or any committee of a board or commission, or any officer or employee of the City.
(3) "Public official" means and includes an elected or appointed officer or employee or officially designated representative, whether compensated or not, of the United States or any of its agencies, the state, any political subdivision of the state, including cities, counties, districts, or any public corporation, agency or commission.
(B) Registration as Lobbyist.
(1) Except as provided in Article XII, Sect ion 1206(C ) of this Charter, any lobbyist shall register with the City Clerk by filing a written statement containing the following information:
(a). The lobbyist's full name, busi ness address and telephone number;
(b) The name, business address and te lephone number of any individual or entity by whom the lobbyist is employed, retained or engaged for compensation to perform lobbying services in the City;
(c) The legislative or administrative action for the City as to which the lobbyist has been engaged.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 17 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
(2) Effective January 1, 2027, such registration shall be filed on an annual basis between January 1st and January 31st each year or upon initial employment if that occurs after the annual filing period. Should the registration be filed upon initial employment after the annual filing period, such registration shall be filed within fifteen (15) days of such initial employment. The City will impose a one-hundred-twenty-dollar ($120.00) fee for cost recovery for such annual registrations and the Council may amend the fee by resolution.
(3) Should a lobbyist have a change to its registration information, including but not limited to, the legislative or administrative action for the City as to which the lobbyist has been engaged, after the annual registration period, such lobbyist shall file an amended registration with the City Clerk within fifteen (15) days of such change with the changed information. The City will impose a twenty-five-dollar ($25.00) fee for cost recovery for such amended registrations and the Council may amend the fee by resolution.
(C ) The provisions of Article XII, Section 1206(B) of this Charter shall not apply:
(1) To a public official acting in his or her official capacity;
(2) To any newspaper or other regularly published periodical, radio or television station (including any individual who owns, publishes, or is employed by any such newspaper or periodical, radio or television station) which in the ordinary course of business publishes news items, editorials, or other comments, or paid advertisements, which directly or indirectly urge action upon municipal legislation, if such newspaper, periodical, radio or television station or individual engages in no further or other activities in connection with action upon such municipal legislation;
(3) To a person invited by the City Council or any of its committees, or by any board or commission, or any committee or a board or commission, or by any officer or employee of the City charged by law with the duty of conducting a hearing and making a decision as to a pending or proposed matter, for the purpose of giving testimony in aid of the body or person extending the invitation;
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 18 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
(4) To a person applying for a grading permit or for a permit relating to the construction, alteration, demolition or moving of a building or to a person filing a parcel map or subdivision tract map; provided, however, that if a person is one described in Article XII, Section 1206(B) of this Charter and he or she tmakes an appeal, or represents a person tmaking an appeal, pursuant to any procedure or authority provided by law from an administrative determination made with respect to such an application or map, he or she shall be required to register as provided in Article XII, Section 1206(C) of this Charter upon tmaking the appeal or any action relating to the appeal; and
(5) To a person who is a professional licensed by a state licensing organization, including, but not limited to, attorneys, architects and engineers; provided however, this exemption for attorneys shall only be applicable if the attorney is engaged in the practice of law with respect to the subject of the employment.
(D) A regular employee of an organization, whose regular duties do not principally constitute the tasks set forth in Article XII, Section 1206(A)91) of this Charter, communicating to the City during the course of his or her employment, shall not be considered a lobbyist.
(E) The City Clerk shall issue a "notice of registration required" upon the written request of the Council, or any board or commission, or any officer or employee of the City, charged by law with conducting a hearing and making a decision on a matter pending or proposed. Any person who, in good faith and on reasonable grounds, believes that he or she is not required to comply with the lobbyist registration provisions of Article XII, Section 1206 by reason of hims or her being exempt under Article XII, Sections 1206(C) and/or (D), shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this Charter or any ordinance relating to influencing municipal legislation if, within fifteen (15) days after notice from the City Clerk, he or she either complies or furnishes satisfactory evidence to the City Clerk that he or she is exempt from registration.
(F) All information required to be filed under the provisions of this Charter or any ordinance relating to influencing municipal legislation shall be compiled by the City Clerk as soon as practicable after the annual registration period and shall be forwarded to the City Manager. All such information shall be preserved by the Clerk pursuant to the City's records retention Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 19 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. schedule, shall constitute part of the public records of the Clerk’s office, and shall be open to public inspection.
(G) It is unlawful for any person or entity to act as a lobbyist in the City without having registered in compliance with this chapter, or knowingly to employ a person or entity to serve as a lobbyist when such person is not registered pursuant to this chapter..
(H) Any person desiring to register as a lobby ist shall file, under penalty of perjury on forms prescribed by the City Clerk, the information required by Article XII, Section 1206(B) of this Charter.
(I) The filings required by Article XII, Sections 1206(B) and (I) be filed under oath with the City Clerk on forms prescribed by the City Clerk and may be filed:
(1) In person; or
(2) Be deemed properly filed when deposited in an established post office within the prescribed time, duly stamped, and directed to the City Clerk, at the City Hall, but in the event that it is not received, copies of such statement shall be promptly filed upon notice from the City Clerk of its non-receipt; or
(3) Electronically (online) by forwarding to the City Clerk a copy of the prescribed form via electronic mail together with a facsimile copy of the form showing execution by the lobbyist. Such electronic filing shall be effective upon receipt by the City of the filing fee.
(J) All reports and statements required under th is chapter which are filed with the City Clerk shall be preserved by the Clerk pursuant to the City's records retention schedule, shall constitute part of the public records of the City Clerk’s office, and shall be open to public inspection.
(K) This provision shall be known as the Revolving Door Prohibition and shall be in addition to any restriction on service as a lobbyist enacted by the Council by ordinance. No former member of the City Council, former member of a City commission, or former City employee employed in Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 20 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. an unclassified service position may serve as a lobbyist with respect to the City within one year of leaving office or employment with the City.
(L) It is the policy of the City to avoid the potential for undue or improper influence over elected officials resulting from lobbying. In furtherance of that purpose, the City Council may, by ordinance, add to the information required to be filed by registered lobbyists and may augment the regulations concerning influencing of municipal legislation set forth in this Article XII, Section 1206 to the extent such ordinance is not inconsistent with the explicit provisions of this Article XII, Section 1206 Such regulations shall include defined terms, public disclosure requirements, applicability, required recordkeeping by the City Clerk, enforcement provisions, penalties, and prohibitions against lobbying immediate family members.
Amend By Adding ARTICLE XIII., IMPARTIAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION
FOR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE
BARGAINING UNIT DISPUTES, as follows:
ARTICLE XIII.
IMPARTIAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION FOR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE
BARGAINING UNIT DISPUTES
Section 1300
Declaration of Policy.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City of Chula Vista that maintaining effective public safety depends upon the maintenance of stable employer-employee relations and adequate staffing levels in the Police and Fire Departments. In order to assure that effective public safety services are provided to all people of Chula Vista, a method is hereby adopted for peacefully and equitably resolving disputes that might otherwise lead to labor unrest or to reductions in public safety staffing levels.
Strikes by police officers and firefighters, which endanger public safety, are generally prohibited as a matter of state law. Consistent with state law, the people of the City of Chula Vista hereby declare it to also be the policy of the City that strikes by firefighters or police officers employed Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 21 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. by the City of Chula Vista endanger the public health, safety, and welfare, are against public policy, and are prohibited by this Charter.
§ 1306. Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this Article, or any application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, that holding shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this Article. The people of the City of Chula Vista hereby declare that they would have adopted this Article, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more portions of this Article be declared invalid or unconstitutional.It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City of Chula Vista that maintaining effective public safety depends upon the maintenance of stable employer-employee relations and adequate staffing levels in the Police and Fire Departments.
In order to assure that effective public safety services are provided to all people of Chula Vista, a method is hereby adopted for peacefully and equitably resolving disputes that might otherwise lead to labor unrest or to reductions in public safety staffing levels.
Strikes by police officers and firefighters, which endanger public safety, are generally prohibited as a matter of state law. Consistent with state law, the people of the City of Chula Vista hereby declare it to also be the policy of the City that strikes by firefighters or police officers employed by the City of Chula Vista endanger the public health, safety, and welfare, are against public policy, and are prohibited by this Charter.
Section 1301
Prohibition Against Strikes.
Consistent with the policy set forth in Section 1300, no City of Chula Vista firefighter or police officer shall willfully engage in a strike against the City. Any such employee against whom the City brings charges of willfully engaging in a strike, including willfully failing to report for or perform duties as part of a concerted work stoppage, shall be subject to dismissal from his or her employment in the event the charges are sustained upon conclusion of the proceedings required by law for the imposition of disciplinary action upon said employee. No officer, board, Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 22 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. council, or commission shall have the power to grant amnesty to any employee against whom such charges are sustained.
Section 1302
Obligation to Negotiate in Good Faith.
The City, through its duly authorized representatives, shall negotiate in good faith with the recognized employee organizations that represent sworn members of the City of Chula Vista Police Department and the City of Chula Vista Fire Department on all matters relating to the wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of City employment, including the establishment of procedures for the resolution of grievances concerning the interpretation or application of a negotiated agreement. Unless and until agreement is reached through negotiations between the authorized representatives of the City and the recognized employee organization involved, or a determination is made through the impartial arbitration procedure hereinafter provided, no existing benefit, term, or condition of employment for said employees shall be unilaterally altered, eliminated, or changed.
Section 1303
Impasse Resolution Procedures.
(A) All disputes or controversies pertaining to wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment which remain unresolved after good faith negotiations between the City and a recognized police or fire employee organization shall be submitted to a three-member Board of Arbitrators (the “Arbitration Board”) upon the declaration of an impasse by the City or by the recognized employee organization involved in the dispute. The Board shall consist of one representative selected by the City, one representative selected by the recognized employee organization and a third neutral panel member shall be selected by these representatives as set forth below.
(B) The representative designated by the City and the representative of the recognized employee organization involved in the dispute shall each select and appoint one arbitrator to the Arbitration Board within three (3) days after either party has notified the other, in writing, Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 23 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. that it desires to proceed to arbitration. The third member of the Arbitration Board shall be selected by agreement between the two representatives appointed by the City and the employee organization and shall serve as the neutral arbitrator and Chairperson of the Board.
In the event that the two appointed representatives cannot agree upon the selection of the third, neutral arbitrator within ten (10) days from the date that either party has declared an impasse, either party may then request the State Mediation and Conciliation Service of the State of California Department of Industrial Relations to provide a list of seven (7) persons who are qualified and experienced as labor arbitrators. If the two appointed representatives cannot agree within three (3) days after receipt of such list on one of the seven (7) persons to act as the neutral arbitrator, they shall alternately strike names from the list of nominees until one name remains, and that person shall then become the neutral arbitrator and Chairperson of the Arbitration Board. The representatives shall choose a method for deciding who initiates the first strike.
(C) Any arbitration proceeding convened pursuant to this Article shall be conducted in conformance with, subject to, and governed by Title 9 of Part 3 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, as may be amended from time to time. The Arbitration Board shall hold public hearings, receive evidence from the parties, and cause a transcript of the proceedings to be prepared. The Arbitration Board, in the exercise of its discretion, may meet privately with the parties and mediate or med-arb issues in dispute. The Arbitration Board may also adopt such other procedures as are designed to encourage an agreement between the parties, expedite the arbitration hearing process, or reduce the costs of the arbitration process.
(D) In the event no agreement is reached prior to the conclusion of the arbitration hearings, the Arbitration Board shall direct each of the parties to submit, within such time limit as the Arbitration Board may establish, a last offer of settlement on each of the remaining issues in dispute. The Arbitration Board shall decide each issue by majority vote by selecting whichever last offer of settlement on that issue it finds most nearly conforms to those factors traditionally taken into consideration in the determination of wages, hours, benefits, and terms and conditions of public and private employment, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Changes in the average consumer price index for goods and services; (2) The wages, hours, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment of police officers and firefighters employed by the comparable California cities and by the principal Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 24 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. competitor agencies identified in this subdivision, comparing classifications that perform similar services to the classification(s) at issue, determined as follows:
(a) “Comparable California cities” means th e six full-service California cities next larger in population than the City of Chula Vista and the six full-service California cities next smaller in population than the City of Chula Vista, as determined by the most recent annual city population estimates published by the California Department of Finance as of the date the impasse is declared or, if such estimates are unavailable, the most recent city population estimates published by the United States Census Bureau. (b) “Full-service city” means a California city that directly operates both its own municipal police department providing general law enforcement services and its own municipal fire department providing fire suppression services, and that does not obtain either such service by contract with, or membership in, another public agency, county, joint powers authority, or special district.
(c) In addition to the comparable Calif ornia cities, the comparator pool in any arbitration proceeding convened under this Article shall include the two principal competitor agencies of the department whose employees are represented in the proceeding. The “principal competitor agencies” of a department are the two California public agencies, without regard to population, geographic location, county boundaries, or form of organization, to which the greatest number of that department’s sworn personnel separated in order to accept sworn employment during the sixty (60) months immediately preceding the declaration of impasse, as documented by the City’s personnel records.
(d) In the event of a tie, or if the City ’s records identify fewer than two agencies under paragraph (C), the Arbitration Board shall designate the remaining competitor agency or agencies upon evidence of the agencies with which the department principally competes for the recruitment and retention of qualified sworn personnel; and (e) Nothing in these procedures preclude s the parties from mutually agreeing to any comparable agencies, data points and/or market measurement (e.g. median or average) to be used for purposes of arbitration under these section; and (3) The financial condition of the City of C hula Vista and its ability to meet the costs of the decision of the Arbitration Board; and,
(4) Any stipulations of the parties.
(E) After reaching a decision, the Arbitration Board shall mail or otherwise deliver a true copy of its decision to the parties. The decision of the Arbitration Board shall not be publicly disclosed Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 25 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026. and shall not be binding until ten (10) days after it is delivered to the parties. During that ten (10) day period the parties shall meet privately, attempt to resolve their differences, and may by mutual agreement amend or modify the decision of the Arbitration Board. At the conclusion of the ten (10) day period, which may be extended by mutual agreement between the parties, the decision of the Arbitration Board, as it may be amended or modified by the parties, shall be publicly disclosed and shall be binding upon the parties. The City and the employee organization shall take whatever action is necessary to carry out and effectuate the arbitration award, and the City Council shall appropriate or otherwise make available the funds necessary to implement the award. No other action by the City Council or by the electorate to confirm or approve the decision of the Arbitration Board shall be permitted or required.
(F) The expenses of any arbitration proceeding convened pursuant to this Article, including the fee for the services of the Chairperson of the Arbitration Board and the costs of preparation of the transcript of the proceedings, shall be borne equally by the parties. All other expenses which the parties may incur individually shall be borne by the party incurring such expenses.
Section1304.
Scope; Definitions.
(A) This Article applies only to recognized em ployee organizations that primarily represent sworn (safety) members of the Police Department and sworn members of the Fire Department.
It does not apply to non-sworn, management, confidential, or other miscellaneous employees, nor to individual disciplinary actions or grievances arising under a memorandum of understanding.
(B) As used in this Article: “strike” means a concerted failure to report for duty, willful absence from one’s position, stoppage of work, or abstinence in whole or in part from the full, faithful, and proper performance of the duties of employment, for the purpose of inducing, influencing, or coercing a change in the conditions, compensation, rights, privileges, or obligations of employment; and “recognized employee organization” has the meaning given under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act and the City’s employer-employee relations rules.
Section 1305.
Charter of the City of Chula Vista Page 26 of 26
These proposed amendments are subject to approval by the electorate in November 2026.
Relationship to Other Law.
This Article supplements, and is intended to operate consistently with, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (California Government Code Section 3500 et seq.) and the City’s employer-employee relations resolutions. The impartial arbitration procedure provided in this Article constitutes the final step of the City’s impasse procedure for the employees to whom it applies. This Article is enacted pursuant to the City’s authority over municipal affairs, including the constitution, regulation, and government of its police and fire forces, reserved to charter cities by the California Constitution. This Article supplements, and is intended to operate consistently with, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (California Government Code Section 3500 et seq.) and the City's employer-employee relations resolutions. The impartial arbitration procedure provided in this Article constitutes the final step of the City's impasse procedure for the employees to whom it applies. This Article is enacted pursuant to the City's authority over municipal affairs, including the constitution, regulation, and government of its police and fire forces, reserved to charter cities by the California Constitution.2
Section 1306.
Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this Article, or any application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, that holding shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this Article. The people of the City of Chula Vista hereby declare that they would have adopted this Article, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more portions of this Article be declared invalid or unconstitutional.