SDCTA Supports Proposition K - Oceanside Charter Measure, 2010
Historically, SDCTA has supported municipalities going from General Law to Charter status. However, we would prefer to see cities address this issue for governance purposes rather than purely for economic reasons. Furthermore, when transitioning to Charter status, governance matters ought to be thoughtfully addressed within the Charter. The rationale in support for the most recent Charter we weighed in on (Carlsbad, 2008) is as follows: the ability to gain Charter status will allow the City of Carlsbad to hold greater control and flexibility in their decision-making while holding officials accountable for those decisions. This includes negotiating contracts for goods and infrastructure in a manner that reduces both time and cost, allowing for savings that may be used for other essential services and reduce the burden on taxpayers. SDCTA supports the City of Oceanside's proposed Charter for the following reasons: 1) It ensures that there will be fair and open competition on publicly funded projects, which will likely ensure the City is able to get the best price for taxpayer dollars. 2) It exempts itself from State public contracting and prevailing wage requirements, which will give the City greater autonomy in choosing its contractors as well as the potential to save money on projects. 3) It requires public employees to opt in before union dues are spent for political purposes.