TUSTIN : Council to Hear Plan to Limit Perquisites

Officials here have proposed measures to curb perquisites for council members.

Councilman Jim Potts, who is leading the effort, on Monday urged city administrators to develop an ordinance to keep council perquisites at a minimum.

“If a council member wants something extra, they should bring it up in public,” said Potts, who was reelected this year. “I don’t want them putting the city manager in a position where he is afraid to say ‘no.’ ”

At Potts’ request, city staff presented a resolution requiring a council vote on any request made by a council member for an item not included in the city budget. For example, if a council member wanted a home fax machine to help carry out council duties, the matter would have to be voted on by the entire council, since such an expenditure is not provided for in the budget.

However, Potts asked that the item be carried over to the June 14 meeting because he was not satisfied with the resolution. He said he wanted the measure to be passed as an ordinance instead of a resolution so that it will become law and cannot be overturned by two council votes.

Potts added that he wants the measure to ensure that the city manager, who is hired by the City Council, is not pressured into honoring requests by the council majority. Additionally, Potts wants council members to be forced to justify their requests if they have to make them in public.

“If you bring it up in public, it keeps everyone honest,” he said.