Santa Ana Non-Citizen Voting Measure, Rent Control – Orange County Register

Santa Ana voters faced four measures on the November ballot, including whether to expand voting rights to noncitizens and increase council members’ salaries.

More Santa Ana voters were opposed than in favor of allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections and raising City Council bids, according to preliminary results released shortly after polls closed Tuesday night. Measures to strengthen rent control protections and charter cleanup clauses received strong support from voters, according to preliminary results.

LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: See the latest vote count chart.

Measure DD – Allowing Non-Citizens to Vote in Local Elections

Santa Ana voters have not yet supported allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections, according to early counts.

If Measure DD is approved by voters, the City Council will pass an ordinance giving non-citizens the right to vote in city elections. The city will also have to hold its own local elections; The OC Registrar of Voters usually administers the elections.

Noncitizens make up about 24% of Santa Ana’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Immigrant residents, including noncitizens, in Orange County contributed $10.5 billion in taxes in 2018, according to the American Immigration Council, but they have no say in how their tax dollars are spent locally, advocates say. measures.

A judge previously ruled that the language of the measure, written by the City Council, was partisan, and the ballot removed a description of who some of the noncitizens were; plaintiffs argued that such language could encourage voters to support the measure.

MEASURE FF – Increase in wages to compensate the municipal council

Measure FF, which would require voters to decide whether Santa Ana council members should receive a raise in their annual salaries, appears to have been rejected by voters, according to election night results.

Council members, including the mayor, are paid $12,000 a year. If Measure FF is approved, the council’s salary would instead be set at 33% of an OK Supreme Court judge’s salary, which today would equate to $78,696 per year per Santa Ana council member.

Council members say the goal of the wage increase is to make the service more affordable for residents who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Supporters of the measure say the board’s responsibilities have grown over the years and changing the pay scale could open the door for more diverse candidates to run in local government as an elected official.

The proposed salary increase was linked to the salaries of OC Supreme Court judges because they are set by the state and can prevent salaries from becoming a political battle every election cycle, council member Thai Viet Phan said earlier.

Opponents in their voting arguments said serving on the City Council is a “part-time political job” and while “competitive pay is important,” the amount offered exceeds salaries in comparable cities such as Anaheim, where compensation is $18,000 per year. year.

Measure CC – Rent Control and Fair Eviction Order

Santa Ana voters were leaning toward enforcing rent control in the city and simply seeking an eviction ordinance. Securing these tenant protections will make it difficult for future city officials to repeal the laws.

In 2021, the city passed housing laws limiting annual rent increases to 3% or 80% of inflation, whichever is less. New eviction laws have made it illegal for a landlord to evict a tenant in Santa Ana without “good cause” such as non-payment of rent, criminal activity or lease violation after receiving a written warning, etc.

Currently, changes to city laws that set rent caps and limit when landlords can evict tenants require a council majority, or five votes.

If voters reject Measure CC, the existing laws will remain in effect but could be overturned by a future council vote; if voters approve the measure, a public vote would be required to repeal the laws in the future.

MEASURE EE – Santa Ana City Charter Amendments

Voters have so far leaned toward approving several updates and changes to the city charter, also known as the city constitution, early results show. Some changes include updates to job titles and city spending processes.

Currently, according to the charter, the City Council establishes a special committee to review individual complaints concerning a council member or a council member’s designee. The city manager investigates ethics complaints involving other city officials, such as the police chief or department heads. If Measure EE passes, the charter would allow the City Council to create and enforce a process for reviewing alleged ethics violations.

The measure updates other sections of the statute relating to capital improvement funds and purchasing power.

If approved, the outdated section of the capital improvement fund charter would be removed. Maintenance projects are currently already funded from the city’s general fund, and capital improvement plans are reported to the city council after going through the planning department, making the current section of the bylaw unnecessary.

Measure EE would also provide the City Attorney and City Clerk with purchasing power in contracts associated with their respective offices under the City’s procurement policies. Today, the charter allows the city manager to spend up to $50,000 on non-public work construction contracts without requiring council approval. The dollar limit for both officers will be that of the City Manager or otherwise determined by the City Council.

If the measure does not receive the support of a majority of voters, no changes will be made and the charter will remain the same.

The Registrar of Voters said that after election night, results will be updated daily, except weekends, until the vote count is complete.