CITY OF
HUNTINGTON
COu BEACH
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
CC: Travis Hopkins, Acting City Manager
From: Jennifer Carey, Deputy City Manager
Date: February 18, 2025
Subject: Supplemental Communication for Item No. 23 (Public Operation of Library Services) For your review and consideration, staff is attaching an updated document as Late Communications to Item 23 on the February 18, 2025 agenda.
This Financial Impact Report provides additional details related to the staff report for Item Number 23.
2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 / www.huntingtonbeachca.gov
CITY OF
HUNTINGTON
BEACH
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
CC: Travis Hopkins, Acting City Manager
From: Jennifer Carey, Deputy City Manager
Date: February 18, 2025
Subject: Financial Impact Report - Public Operation of Library Resources Description of the Initiative
On November 25, 2024, a citizen initiative petition (the "Initiative") entitled "An Ordinance to Amend the Huntington Beach Municipal Code by Adding section 2.30.100, Entitled 'Public Operation of Library Services'' was delivered to the City Clerk.
A prima facie review was conducted on November 25, 2024 that qualified the number of signatures collected at 17,657. On November 26, 2024, the Initiative was delivered to the Orange County Registrar of Voters ("OCROV") with a request to conduct a signature verification exercise.
A total of 13,247 signatures was required to qualify for submission to the voters, and 13,257 signatures were verified. The OCROV delivered a Certificate to Verification of Signatures on Petition (Certificate) for the Initiative on January 2, 2025. On January 21, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-03 accepting the Certificate as to Verification of Signatures from the Orange County Registrar of Voters for the Initiative.
Il. Legislative Authorization and Use of the Report by the City Council This report is authorized by California Elections Code Section 9212. This section of the elections Code authorizes a City Council to request a report analyzing the effects of a proposed Initiative (including, but not limited to, the initiative's effect on the fiscal health of the city, land use, and infrastructure). On January 21, 2025, the City Council directed that the report be presented at the February 18, 2025 City Council meeting.
This report is designed to help inform members of the City Council and City residents about the possible effects of the Initiative. The City Council will then use this information when it takes action in accordance with the Elections Code.
III. Estimated Cost of a General or Special Election
a. Fiscal Impact Studied Should the City Submit the Initiative to a Special Election
The City Clerk's Office worked with the Orange County Registrar of Voters to determine costs of submittal for the initiative to the voters.
Should the City Council decide to hold a special election for the Initiative, the estimated cost would range from $1,190,478 to $1,315,405. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
a. The cost of the voter information guide (with standard-length text) is estimated to be $150,000. 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 | www.huntingtonbeachca.gov
CITY OF
HUNTINGTON BEACH
b. The cost of the stand-alone election is estimated to be $914,736 - $1,033,726. c. The cost of postage for vote by mail ballot return envelopes is estimated to be $74,108 - $80,041.
d. The cost recovery for 2019-20 purchase of new election equipment is estimated to be $43,134. e. The cost of one measure (estimate based on 3000 words and 2 pages) is estimated to be $8,500.
b. Fiscal Impact Studied Should the City Submit the Initiative to a General Election.
The next General Election would be November 3, 2026. Should the City Council elect to submit the Initiative to the general election, the cost would range from $340,515 to $399,499. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
a. The cost of the consolidated election is estimated to be $211,290 - $264,112. b. The cost of postage for vote by mail ballot return envelopes is estimated to be $76,959- $83,120.
c. The cost recovery for 2019-20 purchase of new election equipment is estimated to be $43,767. d. The cost of two measures (estimate based on 3000 words and 2 pages) is estimated to be $8,500.
If the City Council decides to include the second citizen initiative (To Repeal Ordinance No. 4318 by Deleting Huntington Beach Municipal Code Chapter 2.66 - Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children's Library materials, and Adding Section 2.30.090 - Selection and Use of Library Materials"), an additional cost of approximately $8,500 would be incurred for placing both initiatives on the ballot.
The referenced costs are in addition to the amount due to the OCROV for the verification of signatures totaling $58,289.60. Should the initiative pass, the cost for implementation and long- term operations would be minimal.
2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 www.huntingtonbeachca.gov