City hall plan may face vote
FOR THE RECORD
A story on Page A1 of Friday’s Daily Pilot, “City hall plan may
face vote,” should have said a ballot initiative proposed by
Newporters for Responsible Government would require a simple majority
of Newport Beach voters to approve borrowing for a public project,
rather than two-thirds of voters.
The roughly $41.5-million plan for a new city hall in Newport
Beach could be put to a public vote if some residents succeed in
getting an initiative on the ballot.
And the voting wouldn’t end with the city hall. The proposed
ballot measure would require approval from two-thirds of city voters
for any borrowing for a public project. The city charter now
specifies a public vote only when the city issues bonds to finance a
project.
A citizens’ group called Newporters for Responsible Government
filed a notice with the city clerk Thursday that it intends to gather
signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. If enough signatures
are collected, the measure could be placed on the November 2006
ballot or on a ballot in a special election.
John Buttolph, the group’s spokesman, said people are concerned
about the location and scope of the project as well as the proposal
to pay for it with certificates of participation. The certificates
are similar to bonds but are repaid from the city’s general fund and
don’t cause residents’ taxes to increase.
Using the certificates allows the city to avoid a public vote on a
costly project that is still paid for by taxpayers and puts the city
in debt, Buttolph said.
“This is a loophole and it needs to be closed,” he said.
The City Council gave tentative approval in May to a project that
includes a new city hall, fire station and parking garage on the site
of the existing City Hall. More detailed cost estimates will be
discussed at upcoming council meetings, with a final vote on the
project scheduled in October.
Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau said although certificates
of participation aren’t covered by the city charter, using them
doesn’t violate the charter’s intent, which is to get public approval
for projects that will increase residents’ taxes.
“Right now the City Council spends $190 million a year without a
public vote,” Bludau said, referring to the city budget. “So if a $50
million city hall and parking garage and fire station project were
done, it would mean about a $3-million-a-year cost to the city, which
pales in comparison to $190 million.”
Many cities, counties and the state all pay for projects with
certificates of participation, Bludau said.
Newport Beach Mayor John Heffernan, who in May voted against the
city hall project, said his biggest concern is that there hasn’t been
more public comment. While at least 200 people showed up for several
public meetings on the project, Heffernan was alarmed that only three
people spoke about it at an Aug. 9 City Council meeting.
He’s not sure whether residents should vote on the city hall, but
if they don’t like the project, now is the time to bring it up, he
said.
“If it fills the council chambers with people that are opposed to
this expenditure, then all the better for it, because we’re getting
more public input,” he said.
* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be
reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at
o7alicia.robinson@latimes.comf7.
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