League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Butte County, CA June 7, 2011 Election
	Measure A Move general municipal elections from November to June City of Chico Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure A

Arguments Against Measure A

"A" is for Accountability. That's what we will get by moving our nonpartisan City of Chico elections to the June County Election Day - Accountability. All of our other County Officeholder Elections are currently scheduled with the June State Primary Election. Wisely, this gives Chicoans, as well as the rest of Butte County, a chance to consider County governance issues without being overwhelmed by the multi-million dollar hyper-partisan state and national campaigns that dominate our media in the November Elections. Unfortunately in November, City issues can't be clearly heard through the partisan rancor. They're currently getting insufficient consideration. Additionally, City Council campaigns have become too expensive for independent candidates. Local decisions often affect our daily lives far more than State and National policies. Doesn't it make sense to give them more serious focused attention? Measure A would join our City elections at the same date and at Chico polling places where County elections are currently taking place. By joining City and County elections, local non-partisan leadership issues would finally be considered together at the top of the ballot and at the center of debate, bringing much needed oversight and accountability to the direction of our Chico City Council. In June 2010, California voters passed Prop 14 creating a nonpartisan primary in which all voters are allowed to cast a vote for the candidate of their choice, regardless of their political party. Measure A would give them the same kind of voice in non-partisan local elections. Our City elections should never have been moved to November when the focus is overwhelmingly on high-dollar national and state races. Let's bring our community together to focus on choosing our City and County leadership on the same non-partisan June ballot. Accountability. Can we afford not to have it? /s/ Stephanie L. Taber, Taxpayer Rebuttal to Arguments For "A" is not for accountability. Measure A has nothing to do with accountability. In fact, this measure would result in elections with fewer voters and greater cost. Measure A supporters poorly argue June elections focus attention on local issues that become lost in November. This is not true. Cities, schools and special districts across the state recognize that November elections save tax payer dollars and increase voter participation. In fact, November elections attract more voters because state and national issues motivate citizens to participate in our democratic process. Actually, voters are more focused and engaged in November elections. For example, in Chico neighborhoods, seniors, young adults, and families all turn out in greater numbers to vote. Doesn't more voter participation result in greater accountability? So why do Measure A supporters argue the opposite? There is no evidence that June elections are less expensive for candidates, but there is overwhelming evidence that June elections will be very expensive for the tax payers. No argument has been made that Measure A is accountable or fiscally responsible. Clearly, the measure is not accountable because it results in cutting participation nearly in half while nearly doubling the cost, taking precious funds away from police and fire. Measure A is unfair and costs money. Chico voters need to stop this charade. In this economic climate there is no room for frivolous spending. November elections save your tax dollars and are more fair. Please join us in voting NO on Measure A. Thank you. /s/ Maureen A. Kirk, County Supervisor /s/ Mary Flynn, Council Member /s/ Mary Watters, Retired Teacher /s/ Andy Holcombe, Council Member /s/ Scott Gruendl, Council Member

Please vote NO on Measure A. It is clear that the intent of this measure is to reduce voter participation in Chico elections. Measure A must be defeated because moving council elections to June cuts the number of voters in half and significantly raises the cost. The voter count in November 2008 was 39,044 compared to 12,393 in June 2008. Measure A increases costs by $73,000 for a total of $130,000 per election, which comes out of the same fund that pays for police and firefighters. Who would want to manipulate voter participation and increase election costs? It is none other than the local Tea Party activists. 80% of voters moved Chico's election to November in 1984 to save tax dollars and increase voter participation, which is why most communities use November. Butte County's 5 cities hold council elections in November, as well as all 11 cities bordering our county. School and special districts, Butte Community College, and CARD use November. Who holds their local election in the Spring? The City of Bell, the infamous city of corruption, holds elections in the Spring because they know less people vote. It is fact that twice as many people vote in November as vote in June. Do we really want to limit voter participation and increase our costs? We are not the City of Bell. Failing to collect their own signatures the Measure A sponsors hired an east coast political consultant who brought in paid signature gatherers that misrepresented the measure by asking, "Do you want fair elections in Chico?" Of course we do and keeping our elections in November allows for the greatest voter participation at the least tax payer cost. What is more fair than that? Please vote NO on Measure A. It's unfair, costs money. Thank you. /s/ Ann M. Schwab, Mayor /s/ Jim Walker, Vice Mayor /s/ Scott Gruendl, Council Member /s/ Peter Tichinin, Business Owner /s/ Bob Linscheid, Business Owner Rebuttal to Arguments Against 10,000 Chico residents signed the petition to have this special election to move City elections to June. Signers include 17% of all Chico voters registered in every political party. The petition changed only one word in the City Charter - November to June. We are the taxpayers that pay the entire cost of June elections through taxes collected by Butte County. There is no extra cost to TAXPAYERS by combining City Elections with the existing County Elections. Our current taxes cover the costs of every scheduled election. The intent of this measure is to increase voter participation in City and County elections in the non-partisan political environment created by the new California Open Primary. What concerned Chico resident isn't going to take advantage of this opportunity to vote for City Council members and County officers on this regularly scheduled June Election Day? We all have to live with the decisions made by the City Council. They are spending our tax dollars. Do you believe that the Chico City Council is spending our money wisely? Who among us doesn't want increased scrutiny and accountability? When you receive your ballot, please vote Yes on Measure A. /s/ Stephanie L. Taber, Chico Taxpayer

Full Text of Measure A

Shall Section 500 of the City Charter, which now provides that general municipal elections shall take place in November of each even-numbered year, be amended to provide that general municipal elections shall, instead, take place in June of each even-numbered year.