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July 21, 2026
ITEM TITLE
Ballot Initiative: Provide Direction on a Proposed Amendment to the Chula Vista City Charter, Consider Placing a Measure on the November 3, 2026 Ballot to Amend the Charter, Carry out Necessary Election Procedures, & Authorize Other Necessary Actions
Report Number: 26-0248
Location: 26-0248
Department: City Attorney & City Manager
G.C. § 84308 Regulations Apply: No
Environmental Notice : The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines. Therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the act ivity qualifies for an Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines.
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution 1) amending Resolution No. 2026-135 calling a general municipal election to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026; 2) ordering submission to the qualified voters of the city, a measure amending and adding certain sections of the City Charter related to term limits for elected officials, elected official compensation, establishing a Budget, Gove rnment Accountability and Efficiency City Council Committee , establishing Salary Setting and City Ethics Commissions, public contracting rules, lobbying and lobbyist registration, and binding arbitration for labor negotiations ; 3) authorizing Deputy Mayor Fernandez to submit ballot arguments in favor of the measure; and 4) directing the City Attorney or the City Clerk, as appropriate, to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure.
SUMMARY
On June 16, 2026, the City Council received a proposed Charter amendment from a representative of Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 89, for potential placement on the November 2026 general election ballot (the “Charter Amendment”). If approved by the voters, the Charter Amendment would modify the City’s Charter related to term limits for all elected officials, compensation for all elected officials, establishing City Council committees, establishing a Salary Setting Commission, establishing a City P a g e | 2
Ethics Commission, public contracting rules, lobbying and lobbyist registration rules, and requiring binding arbitration for labor negotiations with public safety unions.
At the June 16, 2026, City Council meeting, a referral was made for staff to return with the proposed Charter Amendment measure fo r consideration at the next City Council meeting. Staff returned with the item for discussion on July 14, 2026. The City Council then deliberated and directed staff to return with a revised Charter Amendment and implementing actions. This item is responsive to the July 14, 2026 direction.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Servies has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as def ined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Director of Development Services has also determined that the activity qualifies for an Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines. Thus, no environmental review is required.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The City is unaware of any community engagement which may have been conducted prior to the proposed Charter Amendment measure being presented to the City Council.
Due to the short time frame between receipt of the proposed Charter Amendment measure and the August 7 filing deadline with the County Registrar of Voters for placement of a measure on the November 2026 ballot, the City’s community engagement related to this item is limited to discussion at City Council meetings.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Due to the short time frame between receipt of the proposed Charter Amendment measure and the August 7 filing deadline with the County Registrar of Voters for placement of a measure on the November 2026 ballot, the City was unable to present this item to the Charter Review Commission. A copy of the proposed Charter Amendment was distributed to members of the Charter Review Commission and the Board of Ethics on July 13, 2026.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City’s Charter acts as the City’s constitution. It establishes the basic legal framework for the structure and operations of City government and can only be amended by a vote of the people. Being a charter city in California gives the City authority over what are commonly known as “municipal affairs.” Municipal affairs are areas of law where charter cities exercise primary authority to make their own rules, subject only to the requirements of the California Constitution and other matters determined to be of “statewide concern.” Typical “municipal affairs include how a city finances and procures public works, enters into contracts, elects its local officials, makes land use regulations, compensates its employees, and adopts its own laws.
General law cities, by contrast, are subject to all the laws regulating local jurisdictions adopted by the State legislature. Of the 483 cities in California, approximately 120 are charter cities.
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Chula Vista’s Charter was first adopted in 1949. It has since been amended on multiple occasions, with the most recent update occurring in 2022. The 2022 amendment was the most recent and most comprehensive in a series of changes to the Charter identified as the “Charter Project.” The idea of the Charter Project was to engage in systematic review of the Cha rter with the Charter Review Commission (“CRC”) and the City departments most governed by its rules, and to evaluate which changes would be necessary or appropriate to update the Charter and improve the efficiency of City governance and operations. Signifi cant Charter Project updates were approved by the voters in 2014 and 2022.
Proposed Charter Amendment
On June 16, 2026, the City Council received a proposed Charter Amendment from a representative of Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 89, for potential placement on the November 2026 general election ballot. If approved by the voters, the Charter Amendment would modify the City’s Charter related to term limits for all elected officials, compensation for all elected officials, establishing City Council committees, establishing a Salary Setting Commission, establishing a City Ethics Commission, public contracting rules, lobbying and lobbyist regis tration rules, and requiring binding arbitration for labor negotiations with public safety unions.
At the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting, a referral was made to staff to return with the proposed Charter Amendment measure for consideration at the next City Council meeting. Staff returned on July 14, 2026 and presented the proposed Charter Amendment. At that meeting, the City Council provided feedback on the proposed Charter Amendment and directed staff to prepare possible ballot language and other implementing documents and bring the item back to the City Council for further consideration a t a future City Council meeting. The item before you tonight is responsive to that direction.
July 14 City Council Direction
On July 14, 2026, the City Council directed staff to strike proposed language related to term limits for elected officials that wou ld have excluded current terms of service from the calculation of term limits. With this revision, all elected officials (Mayor, City Councilmembers, and City Attorney) would be eligible for a total of three (3) terms of service, inclusive of current terms . This represents an increase of one (1) term from the two (2) terms currently authorized under the Charter.
The City Council also directed the City Attorney to analyze the legality of expanding the proposed language establishing binding arbitration for public safety labor negotiations to include all City bargaining groups.
In addition to the direction provided by the City Council, a representative of the Charter Amendment proponent noted several proposed modifications to their proposal. While primarily clarifying in nature, the proponent did note that subsequent to submitting the proposed Charter Amendment, they learned of the City’s existing Traffic Safety Commission, and were no longer recommending the formation of a new Public and Traffic Safety Committee in the Charter. This change, along with the change directed by the City Council, is reflected in the proposed Charter Amendment before you this evening.
In addition to incorporating feedback from the City Council and the proponent, staff recommends a number of edits to the proposed Charter Amendment to address inconsistencies and conflicts, clarify implementation, improve document organization and readability, etc.
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All proposed edits are presented in track changes, as compared with the July 14 version, as Attachment 1 to this report. Attachment 2 to this report presents the proposed Charter amendments comprehensively, as compared with the current Charter language. Both Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 reflect the binding arbitration provisions applying to Police and Fire unions only.
Depending upon the results of the City Attorney’s analysis, the City Council may wish to advance an alternative measure as related to binding arbitration . Attachments 3 and 4 have been prepared for this purpose. Attachment 3 reflects the elimination of the binding arbitration provision in its entirety and Attachment 4 reflects expanding the binding arbitration provisions to apply to all represented employees.
If the City Council decides to submit a Charter Amendment measure to the electorate that affects the “organization or salaries of the office of the city attorney,” Elections Code section 9280 provides the City Council with the option to direct the City Clerk instead of the City Attorney to prepare the impartial analysis for that measure.
If the City Council wishes to move forward with the propo sed Charter Amendment at this time, staff recommends approving the proposed resolution, which takes the following actions:
1. Amends Resolution No. 2026 -135 calling a general municipal election to be held on November 3, 2026;
2. Orders submission to the qualifie d electors of the City a measure amending and adding certain sections of the City Charter related to:
a. Term limits for Mayor and City Councilmembers (Amends Article III, Sections 300 and 303).
Note - the term limit for the City Attorney is tied in the Chart er to the term limits for Mayor and City Councilmembers, so while not explicitly changed, the changes to Sections 300 and 303 would also apply to the City Attorney.
b. Elected official compensation ( Amends Article III, Sections 302 and 304; Amends Article V, Section 503).
c. Establishing a Budget, Government Accountability and Efficiency City Council Committee (Adds new Article III, Section 313).
d. Establishing Salary Setting and City Ethics Commissions ( Adds new Article VI, Sections 608 and 609; Amends Article V, Sections 504 and 506; Amends Article VI, Sections 602 and 606). e. Public contracting rules (Adds new Article X, Section 1013). f. Lobbying and lobbyist registration (Adds new Article XII, Section 1206). g. Binding arbitration for labor negotiations (Adds new Article XIII);
3. Authorizes Deputy Mayor Fernandez to submit a ballot argument in favor of the measure on behalf of the City Council; and
4. Directs the City Attorney, or City Clerk, as appropriate, to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure.
Alternatively, the City Council may provide additional direction to modify the proposed Charter Amendment and direct staff to bring this item back for further consideration and possible action on July 28, 2026, if desired.
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DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the real property holdings of the City Council members do not create a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter.
CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to place a measure presenting the Charter Amendment in full on the November 2026 ballot is currently estimated to cost approximately $480,000. In order to reduce the cost of placing the measure on the ballot, staff recommends employing the same approach used in 2022 for the last Charter amendment.
Under this approach, clean and underline/strikeout versions of the proposed Charter Amendment would be made available on the City’s website, and a copy would be mailed at n o charge to any voter upon request, instead of printing the full text in a separate ballot pamphlet. This approach is expected to cost $225,000.
Actual costs will be determined by the Registrar of Voters through the final post-election reconciliation.
Staff has identified sufficient funds in the existing fiscal year 2026 -27 budget for the lesser expense. Should the Council opt to publish the Charter Amendment text in full in the voter information guide , an additional appropriation of $255,000 would be required.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
Potential ongoing fiscal impacts include increased compensation for Mayor, City Councilmembers, and the City Attorney as well as additional City staff to implement new Charter provisions, including the new lobbyist registration process, new public contracting disclosure requirements, the new City Council Committee, and the new City Ethics Commission and Salary Setting Commission.
The January 1, 2027 increases to compensation for the Mayor and the City Councilmembers would result in an annual ongoing fiscal impact of approximately $210,000, as detailed below in Table 1 below. This includes increased salaries of approximately $192,000 and increased pension costs of approximately $18,000. Actual salaries starting July 1, 2027 would be set by the new Salary Setting Commission, but in no case would be less than these amounts.
Table 1 – Mayor and Councilmember Compensation + Pension Cost Salary Pension Total
Current Proposed Increase Increase Increase
Mayor $ 161,520 $ 171,309 $ 9,789 $ 941 $ 10,730 Councilmember (x4) 64,608 110,127 $ 45,519 4,374 49,893 Total $ 419,952 $ 611,817 $ 191,865 $ 18,438 $ 210,304
Additional staffing to support the newly created committee and commissions and implement the other new Charter provisions will require further analysis to define . Likely recommendations for additional staff include the addition of 1.0 Deputy City Clerk in the City Clerk’s Office, 1.0 Deputy City Attorney III in the City P a g e | 6
Attorney’s Office, and 1.0 Special Projects Manager in the City Manager’s Office. Estimated costs for this potential additional staffing are summarized in Table 2 below.
Table 2 – Potential Additional Staffing
Classification FTE Annual Cost
Deputy City Clerk 1.00 $ 123,400
Deputy City Attorney III 1.00 $ 266,700
Special Projects Manager 1.00 $ 208,400
Total 3.00 $ 598,500
Additional costs for software to support the new lobbyist registration provisions are also anticipated. This expense is estimated to be approximately $10,000 annually; however, actual costs will not be known until a software solution is procured.
Requiring binding arbitration in all labor negotiations can reasonably be anticipated to result in increased personnel costs.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed City Charter Amendments (comparison with July 14, 2026 version)
2. Proposed City Charter Amendments (cumulative comparison with current Charter)
3. Alternative City Charter Amendment, No Binding Arbitration
4. Alternative City Charter Amendment, Expanded Binding Arbitration Staff Contact: Tiffany Allen, City Manager
Marco A. Verdugo, City Attorney