Addressing and correcting misinformation about proposed Saratoga Springs City Charter

As Chair of the 2018 Charter Review Commission, I take seriously the responsibility to educate the public on the updates and amendments we are proposing to our City Charter. While the approval of our recommendations ultimately rests with the voters, it is important to provide all the information necessary to enable an informed decision when they go to the polls on November 6th.

Informing and educating the public also includes the responsibility to address and correct misinformation that is being presented. Regrettably, there are certain members of last year’s Charter Review Commission who have initiated a campaign to spread such misinformation, either because they are displeased with our current form of government, or because they remain disgruntled over last year’s outcome in which their attempt to change it was rejected by the people. Regardless of the reason, their actions are inexcusable.

Their claim that our proposal gives Council a “blank check” to “set their own salary increases” is false and the voters should know. Under our proposal, Council members do not have the ability to increase their own salary without a public referendum; and the process by which salaries may be increased for a subsequent council is exactly the same under our proposal as it is under the existing Charter, and even as was proposed under last year’s failed Charter. That is, by way of Local Law and subject to State Law.

Their claim that under our proposal the Mayor “loses their oversight of collective bargaining” is false and the voters should know. Under our proposal, the Mayor’s authority to collectively bargain is wholly unchanged; with such authority even incorporated verbatim from the existing Charter.

Their claim that our proposal results in “only increased costs” is false and the voters should know. The proposed updates and amendments under Question 1, which maintains a five member Council, is entirely cost neutral. In other words, should the voters approve Question 1 the total cost to the taxpayers will be $0.

Their claim that our proposal will have costs associated with “the significant salary increase of creating a Human Resources Administrator in Title 10” is false and the voters should know. The position of Human Resources Administrator was formally included in the Charter by the voters in 2001 and has, thus, existed for 17 years. Simply moving the position from Title 3 to Title 10, as we are proposing, will cost the taxpayers a total of $0.

It must also be noted that while facts somehow managed to elude them, hypocrisy did not. Indeed, while they feign concern over the proposed requirement that the City Attorney and members of the Land Use Boards now be appointed with the advice and consent of the entire City Council, they conveniently forget that they proposed exactly the same thing last year. They also falsely claim that our proposal “weakens” the position of Mayor, while ignoring that their failed Charter would have rendered the Mayor nothing more than a “ceremonial” figurehead.

There is much more but, unfortunately, I am limited to 600 words. I strongly encourage voters to review the proposed updates and amendments to the Charter, either on the City website or at the Public Library and Recreation Center where copies have been made available, and make your own determination.

Ultimately, the amendments we are proposing are intended to update a document that has not been updated in 17 years and to provide efficiencies and organizational improvements to better serve the people of Saratoga Springs.

On November 6th, let the decision be yours, and let it be informed. Vincent J. DeLeonardis Chair, 2018 Charter Review Commission