The Charter City Vote — A November Ballot Gamble on Sovereignty

active• atherton

Atherton is heading toward one of the most consequential votes in its history: whether to become a charter city in order to gain greater independence from state housing and land use law. The Town Council has directed staff to begin working on a proposed charter and a ballot measure potentially going before voters in November 2026, spurred by a court ruling in Southern California where five charter cities were declared exempt from SB 9 — and by a desire from residents to gain more independence from state housing requirements. The council is deeply divided: Vice Mayor Rick DeGolia is among the strongest advocates, while City Manager George Rodericks has cautioned that the benefits are "getting slimmer and slimmer" as the state closes housing loopholes, suggesting the only real significant benefit at this point may be financial — including the ability to levy a real estate transfer tax. Atherton has considered and rejected charter city status three previous times — in 2012, 2015, and 2021 — each time concluding the trade-offs weren't worth it.

Related cause: Governance

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