What in the heck is a charter city?
All I knew about charter cities before writing this story was, well, nothing. But it turns out that charter cities can make their own rules, including setting the salaries for their council members and not having to go out to bid for contracts.
This came up because voters will be asked if they want Rosemead to become a charter city. If that happened, it would become the seventh charter city in the SGV. The other cities are Arcadia, Alhambra, Irwindale, Industry, Whittier and Pasadena.
A city has to become a Charter City to impose term limits?
No, a city does not have to become a charter city to impose term limits. But on the ballot in November, residents will be asked to adopt the charter, which will include imposing term limits.
Where does tha Mayor and city council get off on making such a decision? How do they benefit from this? How does the city benefit from this....or loose from this decision?
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! [That's for the "loose" use of the English Language by the supposed "Rosemead Resident."]
There. I feel better.
The mayor's not making a decision; the council majority is putting it on the ballot, and the voters of Rosemead will get to make the decision themselves.
I assumed that the idea of writing term limits into a city charter rather than as an ordinance is that, otherwise, a later city council could amend an ordinance, whereas the voters would need to approve a change to the city's charter.
Regarding term limits, it does not benefit the mayor or the council majority. In fact, by putting it on the November ballot instead of waiting until March, it will cause the term limits to kick in two years sooner than they otherwise would have.
In truth the distinction between charter cities and general law cities has been eroding over time.
Temple City is also a Charter city in the San Gabriel Valley (since 1971).