For as long as I can remember, politicians have been found on the list of those professions least trusted; and as a former local elected official, I used to take umbrage with this.
Now? Not so much.
These days it seems like elected officials don’t even try to cover up their schemes. They either think we are all stupid or, in the case of Measure K, the Charter City proposal on the ballot in the City of Orange, wave shiny objects in our faces, hoping they can distract us and we won’t notice what we are actually voting for.
Simply put, Measure K is a term limit extension placed on the ballot by councilmembers who don’t want to leave office. Measure K not only gives current members of the Orange City Council the ability to start their term limits over, getting a free pass on years already served, it also increases the amount of time a person can sit on the city council.
Let’s do some math:
Council terms will increase 50%—moving councilmembers from being able to serve a total of eight years to 12 years.
Measure K also increases the total time one can be mayor from six years to eight years, and it increases the time between elections. Right now, mayoral elections are held every two years, a timeline that helps keep our mayors accountable to the people. Measure K doubles the time between elections.
Add it all together, and Measure K increases the combined number of years someone is allowed to serve as a mayor and council member from 14 years to 20 years.
If Measure K is approved, our current city council could remain in power until the year 2040. Furthermore, if one of those council members runs for and is elected mayor, they could be on the dais until 2048. Yes, that’s correct, 2048!
The pro-Measure K propaganda being fed to voters doesn’t tell the whole story. Almost every argument listed as a reason to become a charter city is either already the law in the City of Orange, or does not require Orange to become a charter city to do it.
Lifetime term limits? We could vote on that now without becoming a charter city.
A balanced budget and independent audit? California state law already requires it.
Open Space Reserve? State law and local zoning already protect the open space we have.
Orange also already protects private property from being seized by city government to give to another private property owner.
But perhaps the pro-Measure K claim that I find the most interesting is that becoming a charter city will give citizens more local control. If this is about the citizens of Orange having more control, why was this charter rushed through at the expense of citizen oversight and transparency?
There are two ways a city charter can be written; by city council and staff or with a dedicated independent citizen’s charter commission. Contrary to the “transparency” it attempts to claim, Measure K was written by staff and council members, then placed on the ballot by a tight 4-3 vote of the city council. Having a citizen’s charter commission would have at least ensured that the rules were written by residents of Orange, free from conflict of interest.
Over the years, the State of California and the courts have limited the value of becoming a charter city. Charter cities currently have control over a very short list of what are known as municipal issues—none of which are important enough to risk extending the term of office for the current city council.
Sadly, because of an “anti-rent control” provision within the Charter we may see large sums of money pouring into Orange to sway voters. False claims that Measure K will protect your home equity have already been put forward in polling being done. This is nothing but a shiny scare tactic being used to try and draw attention away from the real issues.
The City of Orange is in trouble. We need a city council that will focus on financial stability, increased economic development, and making sure our neighborhoods are safe. We need a city council that will put the residents of Orange first; not a council that is focused on trying to extend their time in office.
Voters in Orange need to ask themselves one question: “Is this the city council I want in power until 2040?”
If the answer is no, vote No on Measure K.
Carolyn Cavecche is a former mayor of Orange and former CEO and president of the Orange County Taxpayers Association