PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to request Council approval of a proposed resolution that establishes the cost for candidates' statements for the 2007 Municipal Elections.

BACKGROUND:

Section 11-1206 of the Burbank Municipal Code states that before the nominating period opens, "the City Council shall, by resolution, determine whether charges shall be levied against candidates for the cost of sending the candidates' statements to the voters.  This decision shall not be revoked or modified after the seventh day prior to the opening of the nominating period."  The nominating period for the 2007 Municipal Elections opens on Monday, November 6, 2006 and closes on Friday, December 1, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. 

At the September 26, 2006 Council meeting, staff presented a report requesting Council direction on whether or not the City will subsidize candidates� statements for the 2007 Municipal Elections.  The Council agreed to a $300 subsidy and staff was directed to prepare the appropriate resolution.

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSION:

Pursuant to Council direction, a resolution has been prepared in compliance with the Burbank Municipal Code.  Based on the estimated cost of $750 and the $300 subsidy approved by the Council, the City Clerk will require a $450 deposit from each candidate submitting a statement with their nomination papers.  Since the Federal Voting Rights Act requires the City to print an entirely bilingual (English/Spanish) Voter Information Pamphlet, the candidates� statements will be translated into Spanish and the City will incur the translation costs as in the past.  However, any candidate who desires to have their statement in any language other than English or Spanish will have to pay for the entire cost ($750) of that foreign language statement.

Within 30 days of the Election, the City Clerk shall bill each candidate for any cost in excess of the deposit or shall refund any unused portion of the deposit.  The City Clerk will also provide each candidate with a copy of the adopted resolution at the time the candidates are issued their nominating papers.

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the Council adopt the proposed resolution approving a $300 subsidy for candidates' statements for the 2007 Municipal Elections.

Respectfully submitted,

Margarita Campos, CMC

City Clerk

2007Election/StaffRpt/EstCandStats.sr

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