The purpose of this report is to present the City Council with two requests, one from the League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank, and one from the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, to conduct Candidate Forums. For the League of Women Voters it is proposed that the Forum be conducted in the City Council Chamber on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. and broadcast live on Channel 6 and replayed as often as reasonably possible prior to the Primary Election. The proposed Chamber of Commerce Forum would also take place in the Council Chambers, at a date and time to be determined.

The League of Women Voters has requested the City to consider facilitating, at its cost, the production and broadcast of the Candidates Forum in the City Council Chamber. The League has stated that the Forum will last approximately two hours. A similar request has been received from the Executive Director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce.

On May 21, 1996, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 24, 741, which established policies regarding the use of City cable broadcast facilities for Election Candidate Forums. Through adoption of the Resolution, the Council expressed its belief that "it would be in the public interest for the City to permit, at no cost recovery, access by qualified organizations to use City facilities for the purpose of broadcasting debates and forums provided that neutrality is maintained in how the program is conducted so as to ensure that public funds are utilized solely for public education and information."

In the Resolution, the League of Women Voters was recognized by the City Council as a neutral, non-partisan organization that meets all established requirements. Additionally, as required by the Resolution, the League of Women Voters does not endorse or back candidates for elective office or take positions on local measures. They have, however, taken positions on State measures. The Chamber of Commerce has also conducted forums for municipal candidates in the past.

The League of Women Voters is proposing that the Candidates Forum commence at 7:00 p.m. and will address all candidates running for City Council and School Board. The League President will introduce the program and then other League members will ask questions of the candidates. The League President will then close the program which they anticipate lasting two hours. Likewise, the Chamber of Commerce proposes a forum that is "non-partisan and fair to all."

CONCLUSION:

The League of Women Voters has conducted Candidate Forums in the past and indicates that feedback from the public in Burbank and Glendale in recent years has shown that this city-sponsored voter forum reaches a wide audience. The Candidates Forum is proposed to be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. during the Wednesday Night Prime-Time Programs segment. It is anticipated that the Forum will cost approximately $395 to produce, broadcast, and replay on Channel 6. The Chamber of Commerce also has a track record of successfully staging candidate forums, and cost to the City would be roughly the same.

It is recommended that the City Council consider the request from the League of Women Voters to conduct a Candidates Forum on February 12, 2003. Because the League of Women Voters meets the requirements outlined in Resolution No. 24,741, staff is supportive of approving their request and having the City pay the production and broadcast costs of the Forum. It is also recommended that the City Council consider the request from the Burbank Chamber of Commerce in a similar light.

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