Item 1 - Recommendations — original pdf

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Summary of Recommendations Adopted by the 2018 Charter Review Commission As of March 12, 2018 1. City Council appoints the City Attorney. Proposed Charter amendment included as Attachment A. 2. Create a City Budget and Efficiency Officer whose mission is to produce independent analyses of budgetary and fiscal issues to support the Austin City’s Council’s budget process by issuing reports and reviews of proposed and existing programs. Proposed Charter amendment included as Attachment B. 3. Establish a Democracy Dollars Program to provide eligible Austin residents up to four (4) $25 Democracy Dollar Vouchers (“Democracy Dollars”) per election cycle. The Democracy Dollars may be donated to a resident’s district city council or mayoral candidate. The purpose of the Democracy Dollars program is to ensure that all of the people of Austin have equal opportunity to participate in political campaigns and are heard by candidates, to strengthen democracy, to fulfill the purposes of single-member districts, to enhance candidate competition, and prevent corruption. Proposed Charter amendment included as Attachment C. 4. Establish an Independent Ethics Review Commission to impartially and effectively administer and enforce all city laws relating to campaign finance, campaign disclosures, conflicts of interest, financial statement disclosure, lobbyist regulations, revolving door, disqualification of members of city boards, certain conflict of interest and ethics laws, and other responsibilities. Proposed Charter Amendment included as Attachment D. 5. Require that a notice of intent to circulate a referendum petition be filed with the city clerk prior to collecting signatures and that the signed referendum petition be filed with the city clerk within 180 days of passage of an ordinance. Proposed Charter Amendment included as Attachment E. 6. Require that a notice of intent to circulate a recall petition be filed with the city clerk prior to collecting signatures, that the recall petition contain the grounds on which the removal is sought, and that the recall petition be signed by at least 20% of the qualified voters of the district from which the council member is elected, or 10% citywide for the mayor. Proposed Charter Amendment included as Attachment E. 7. Correction of clerical matters, routine harmonizing, and clarification of verbiage. Summary of Additional Recommendations Under Consideration by the 2018 Charter Review Commission as of March 12, 2018 1. Clarify that the timing and staggering of the Planning Commission terms are to be determined by ordinance. 2. Require a city election to approve major new revenue bonds over $25 million and to approve power and water purchases whose total price for each project exceeds $50 million.