A prominent San Diego County labor union is preparing a November ballot measure that would dramatically reshape the city of Chula Vista’s government. The measure would give elected city officials, including the current mayor, city councilmembers, and the city attorney, an additional term in office while also potentially raising elected officials’ salaries by creating an independently appointed commission to determine officials’ annual compensation.

Proposed Changes

Currently, Chula Vista’s four city councilmembers serve part-time and are limited to two four-year terms in office. The mayor and city attorney serve full-time but also are limited to two terms. The ballot measure would amend the city charter to give elected officials up to three terms in office, 12 years in total, and increase councilmembers’ responsibilities by creating several permanent City Council committees to address key city issues.

If approved by voters in November, the measure also would create a beefed-up city ethics commission, shift some governmental work from appointed citizen commissions to the City Council, formalize lobbying rules, and enable an appointed arbitrator to resolve stalled contract negotiations with public safety unions. The goal, union representatives said, is to increase transparency and accountability in Chula Vista’s elected government and enable elected leaders to shepherd complex projects, such as housing developments, which often take longer than eight years to complete.

Union Support

At least two unions representing city of Chula Vista employees, the Chula Vista Police Officers Association and the Chula Vista Firefighters Association, have pledged to support the laborers’ ballot measure. David Martinez, president of the police union, said his members support the measure because extending councilmembers’ terms in office could create greater stability in city government and ensure that councilmembers favorable to union interests stay in office longer.

Critics of the county’s ballot measure have called it a thinly disguised attempt to boost organized labor’s influence over county government. The Chula Vista measure similarly would empower elected leaders whose positions depend on winning elections with the help of financial backers, including deep-pocketed labor unions and other interest groups.

Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.