Murrieta might change the structure of its city government.

The Murrieta City Council recently examined the possibility of changing from a "general law" city to a "charter" city.

An advantage in the possible change – which would cost residents about $90,000 if a special election is held – is that Murrieta could avoid many state regulations and policies that pertain to municipal operations.

"It really is to have that level of flexibility we don’t have," said Bruce Coleman, the city’s economic development director.

A general law city depends on the state legislature for its power. Charter cities differ in that they derive their power from a document called a "charter." A charter is a unique document authored by city officials that sets out the city’s powers.

Of the 480 cities in California, 114 are charter cities, according to a Murrieta city document. Eight in Riverside County are charter cities: Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Norco, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Riverside.

That means Murrieta’s neighbors – Temecula, Menifee, Wildomar and Lake Elsinore – remain general law cities.

The charter acts as a constitution, laying out the way the political process works inside the city. This contrasts with general law cities, which rely on the state legislature to dictate the way the city operates. A charter can be adopted, amended and repealed only by a majority vote of city residents.

Brian Ambrose, the city’s senior management analyst, presented the idea to the council and audience members. He said a charter gives the city more freedom to craft its own policies, but the process of creating a charter is long and difficult.

The first step to becoming a charter city is to draft Advertisement
a charter. The second step is to put the charter on a ballot.

Holding a special election to vote on the charter would cost taxpayers about $90,000, Ambrose said. Putting the change on a regularly scheduled ballot would significantly lower the cost. The next such general election will occur in 2012.

Coleman mentioned the coming medical center in Murrieta to illustrate one way that the structural change would allow the city to tailor policies to its particular needs.

Becoming a charter city would allow the city to craft policies that support the Loma Linda University Medical Center now taking shape east of Interstate 15 along Antelope Road.

But state rules prevent a general law city from favoring any one business. Changing to a charter city would give Murrieta the flexibility to set policies that are not specifically spelled out in state law, he said.

The city council was receptive to the possibility of becoming a charter city. "Are there downsides?" Councilman Doug McAllister asked rhetorically.

Cities that become charter cities don’t seem to regret such a change, City Manager Rick Dudley responded.

"I have not found any down-sides to being a charter city other than the process," Dudley said. "We have not been able to find any charter city that said, ‘This is what we would have done differently.’"

Dudley said the greatest drawbacks are the cost and difficulty of the process.

The council agreed to have the city’s staff investigate the option further and report back in a month.

"I’m still looking for a real reason we want to do this. I’m looking for the ‘gotcha,’" said Councilman Rick Gibbs. "Until we get more information I don’t think we can make a decision."

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