HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-02-2026 SM_Item 1_Salas, Dick_RedactedFrom:
To:PublicComments
Subject:Response to “city charter amendment”
Date:Monday, February 2, 2026 3:35:19 PM
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To whom it may concern:
I am writing as a concerned resident and engaged community member regarding the proposed
ballot measure that would establish City Council term limits, eliminate primary elections, and
replace the directly elected mayor with a council-selected mayor.
I want to be clear that I fully support the inclusion of reasonable term limits for City Council
members. Ensuring that new voices and perspectives have the opportunity to serve is healthy
for any city and can help prevent long-term stagnation in leadership.
However, I have serious concerns about the other components of this proposal, particularly the
elimination of primary elections and the removal of a directly elected mayor.
Primary elections play an important role in helping voters learn about candidates, narrowing
crowded fields, and ensuring that serious and qualified individuals emerge before the general
election. In a city with limited local media coverage and historically low voter engagement,
primaries serve as a critical step in voter education and candidate accountability.
The proposal to replace a directly elected mayor with one selected by the council is even more
troubling. This change removes the public’s ability to choose the city’s highest representative
and instead concentrates that decision within a small group of elected officials. While this
structure may function in cities with long-standing civic engagement and institutional trust,
San Bernardino’s history suggests that reducing direct voter influence could have unintended
consequences for transparency and accountability.
San Bernardino has faced financial hardship, political instability, and challenges with public
trust in the past. In this context, we should be expanding opportunities for voter participation,
not reducing them.
Term limits are a positive step forward. The elimination of primaries and the shift to a council-
selected mayor, however, move in the opposite direction by consolidating power and reducing
direct representation.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to consider separating term limits from the other
proposed changes and to reconsider support for the portions of this measure that diminish
voter involvement.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Dick Salas
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