OXNARD : City May Consider Charter Status
The Oxnard City Council is considering changing its rules of governance, a move that officials believe may provide the city more independence from the state.
The council Tuesday asked its staff members to begin the paperwork necessary to give the idea of becoming a charter city a closer look.
General law cities such as Oxnard are subject to all California laws. But Ventura and California’s other charter cities are not, except in matters defined as those of “statewide concern.”
“The advent of the charter acts, if you will, as a barrier to bad law,” City Atty. Gary Gillig said.
Adopting a charter, which is essentially a municipality’s constitution, enables a community to tailor its laws to local circumstances and allow greater control over everything from public works contracts to municipal elections, he said. That could in turn save the city money.
On Dec. 5, the council is scheduled to receive a cost analysis on estimating what establishing a charter city would entail before deciding whether to appoint a commission to study the matter further.
Conceivably, Oxnard could put the matter to a vote during the November, 1996, election, Gillig said.
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