Costa Mesa is without a charter, but the council’s majority bloc remains intact with its eyes on trying again. Little may have been settled in the municipal election on Tuesday.
Measure V, which would have established the city under its own charter, went down after an expensive campaign against it. With nearly $500,000 spent against the charter, opponents outspent proponents nearly 10-to-1. The experience proved to be a learning opportunity for the council.
Jim Righeimer, who spearheaded the charter idea, said that next time, the council would turn to its citizens to draft the charter. Opponents had derided the proposed document this time, saying that it was drafted as part of a backroom deal. One of the newcomers to the council said that she would support pursuing a charter, if it was drafted with public input.
Read the full story at the Orange County Register.