City of Menifee

Measure I - Majority Approval Required

The voters’ decision to vote for Mayor at Large in the 2012 was well intended, but time and experience has shown it to be costly, awkward and cumbersome for the mayor, council members, and city staff. Although most voters perceive Menifee’s Mayor as a “working mayor,” he is actually a ceremonial mayor, with no more power or authority, than a district council member. He is really a council member without a district, although elected by all the people, in a much more expensive election, than district elections.

It is felt it would be better for the City and its residents to adopt a form of governance similar to most surrounding cities, rotating the mayoral position, annually, giving each district the opportunity to be represented by the mayor. The rotation of districts would give more representation to each district.

Under Mayor at-Large, depending what district the mayor lives in, a district can have two elected representatives. This could result in legal challenges in the future.

Voting yes on Measure I will require the City to form five districts, subsequent to the results of the 2020 Census. Districts would not be formed until after analysis of the 2020 census. The voters will vote for a mayor in 2020, but it would be a two year term. Therefore, elections in the five formed districts would not occur until 2022.

It is projected by 2020 the City will have 100,000 residents. The 2020 census makes it a perfect time to create the five district model.

The City, as a General Law City, is a “manager/council form of government, not a mayor/council form of government. The Mayor At-Large form of governance has brought about a lot of confusion as to how Council relate and are responsible to one another.

Vote yes on Measure I

By:          

Gregory A. August, Council Member
Lesa A. Sobek, Council Member

I am Anne Pica, author of the original Ballot Measure AA, creating an Elective Mayor by all the people in the City of Menifee (as well as the 4 by-District). The original Measure authorizing Mayoral Elections passed in 2010 with 74% voter approval. We’ve been choosing our Mayor by free elections ever since.

Now this City Council want to rob you of your right to elect the Mayor of your choosing, so that they can privately select a Mayor from amongst themselves. The council voted 4-1 in favor of this ploy, with the only dissenting vote from the late Mayor Neil Winters. This is the third time city council has tried to kill the peoples vote first in 2008, 2nd time in 2010

I spoke in opposition to Measure “I” at the City Council meeting and received a phone call from a councilmember who tried to explain the reason for getting rid of the Mayor Position. She stated they needed to place themselves on County Boards that only the Mayor gets to sit on. How un-American is that and so self-serving to think only of their Political gain and deny citizens the right to vote.

This City Council has wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars to put Measure “I” on the Ballot, all to advance their own political careers? REALLY?? Please don’t let them get away with it!

Having a Mayor elected  by the People rather than selected  by the City Council has served Menifee well -the voters need to continue electing our Mayor at the ballot box, rather than self-serving politicians selecting  a Mayor in back room deals at City hall.

Please join the late Mayor Winters and the Citizens of Menifee and vote “NO” on MEASURE “I” Voters decide how to be Governed not just five Councilmembers

By:          

Anne E Pica
Grant M. Yoders
John D. Smelser

The City Council argument in favor of eliminating the Mayor at large is complete fabrication. Per California Government code Section 34870­34884. The City of Menifee Is well within the law required for General Law Cities (4-by Districts & Mayor Elected at Large by the people)

the surrounding cities, that have at large representation and only City Councils pick the at Large Mayor leaves these Cities open to legal challenges under election code 14025 Chapter 1.5, Division 14 relating to voting rights

Mayor elected at-large by the people represents all the people of Menifee There is no statistical fact or evidence to back up the claim by council that it is costly, awkward, and cumbersome for the people to elect their Mayor and has an adverse effect on other council members or City Staff

It is not  in the best interest of the city or its residents to adopt a form of Governance similar to most surrounding cities as that would leave the city of Menifee venerable to lawsuits.

If City Council understood the laws relating to General Law Cities they would not have confusion as to how Council relate and are responsible to one another and if they don’t understand after 10 years then they should not be on the City Council.

The true facts are they want to take away the people’s Right to elect their Mayor and keep the power and control between the Five Council Members just to improve their Political Powers.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE - I

By:           Anne E Pica

All council persons in the City of Menifee are elected by the people. Each district -elected council-person represents all of the residents of Menifee, equally, and each shares equally in representing the City at events, on committees, and on regional boards. The only difference between mayoral and district-elected council-members is that the mayor was elected by a majority of all voters in Menifee; with a considerably higher cost to the taxpayers, than for district-elected representatives. This was vividly illustrated recently, when the cost for an election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of the mayor, would have required spending 220,000 taxpayer dollars. Replacing the mayoral position within a rotational process would be substantially less costly to the taxpayers.

Within the 2008 City Incorporation, the council chose its mayor, in public-view, not within a back-room; through the process of rotation, where in each year the mayoral position was rotated through district council members; allowing all districts equal opportunity to be represented by a Ceremonial-Mayoral position. This process; also adopted by many of our sister-cities, works well by creating enhanced harmony through mutual appreciation and respect, while offering beneficial diversity through shared experiences.

When the voters agree to repeal our antiquated mayor-at-large position; our taxpayers’ savings will far exceed any costs incurred to place Measure I on the ballot. Please consider voting yes on Measure I.

By:            

Greg August
Lesa Sobek