[CRNMC] What's needed to get a home rule charter

[Charles Cresson Wood]

Hello community rights folks,

I found a research paper entitled "The Prospects for County Charter Reform in California" interesting because in the conclusion it said:

"Many [California home rule] charter reforms fail because of errors such as failing to follow a process that will build public credibility or needlessly alienating key groups."

I interpret that to mean that, if we are going to pursue a home rule charter, we need to build a broad base of support with many different groups including local agricultural businesses, local tourist businesses, local logging businesses, local residents, County government officials, etc. To have the charter pulled along by a single issue, like a public bank, risks that the effort will fail. 

That same research paper offered some advice:

"There are several elements in a winning [California home rule] charter campaign: 
1) a local constituency for reform with the motivation and interest to push for change, 
2) a set of proposals that engage the public, [note plural word -- "proposals"]
3) a process that allows a commission to be formed that will develop credibility with the public, 
4) substantial opportunity for public access to the work of the commission, and also access and input from institutions that would be affected by the proposed changes, and 
5) a method of bringing commission recommendations to the public without substantial reworking by institutions that would be affected by the change. All of these factors were in place during the Los Angeles Charter reform process, and helped to account for its success."

So it sounds to me like if we are going to be advocating for a county home rule charter, we would be best advised to get the public and other key groups motivated by multiple compelling reasons (projects) to adopt such a charter, not just the establishment of a public bank. Establishing a citizen's commission to set-up a home rule charter is one way that we could proceed.

You can read more about it at:
http://www.csus.edu/calst/government_affairs/reports/countyreform.pdf

/s/ Charles