September 9, 2025
Agenda Item No. 7
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Tara Finnigan, Assistant City Manager - 949-644-3001, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Lorig Yaghsezian, Management Analyst - 949-644-3028,
[email protected]
TITLE:
Resolution No. 2025-57: Opposing Proposition 50 and Enabling Legislation ABSTRACT:
For the City Council’s consideration is a resolution that, if adopted, would establish the City’s opposition to Proposition 50 and its enabling legislation. Proposition 50 will be on a statewide special election ballot on November 4, 2025. The ballot measure proposes amending the State of California constitution to allow the State legislature, rather than the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission, to create new congressional district maps.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-57, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach Opposing Proposition 50 and Enabling Legislation.
DISCUSSION:
At the request of Mayor Joe Stapleton and Councilmember Erik Weigand, pursuant to City Council policy A-1, at its August 26, 2025 meeting, the City Council considered adopting a resolution opposing any attempt to bypass California’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission by altering the state’s Congressional districts through a ballot measure and special election. The Council voted unanimously 7-0, via a straw poll, in favor of staff returning with an item.
Proposition 50, which will appear on the November 2025 ballot, proposes to transfer redistricting authority from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission to the State legislature.
Resolution No. 2025-57 would express the City Council’s opposition to the ballot measure and its enabling legislation because Proposition 50, if approved by the voters, will alter district lines outside the established process, impose costly and disruptive election requirements on local jurisdictions with limited resources, and risk diluting the community voice of Newport Beach by redrawing districts without regard to established communities of interest within the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – Resolution No. 2025-57
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Resolution No. 2025-57: Opposing Proposition 50 and Enabling Legislation September 9, 2025
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