title
CC - ACTION ITEM: Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Arguments in Favor of Questions Relating to One Tax Measure and One Proposed Charter Amendment to be Considered by the Voters at the General Municipal Election of November 3, 2026.
body
Meeting Date: August 10, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Jeremy Bocchino/City Clerk’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-5851
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/05/2026)
Department Approval: Lea Eriksen, Sr. Assistant City Manager (08/04/2026) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council Adopt a Resolution approving the arguments in favor of questions relating to one tax measure and one proposed Charter amendment to be considered by the voters at the General Municipal Election of November 3, 2026.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
At the City Council meeting of June 22, 2026, the City Council considered and approved a proposal to place before the voters a ballot measure which, if approved by a majority of the voters, would amend the City Charter to lower the voting age to 16 for municipal and Culver City Unified School District Board elections.
At that meeting, the City Council created and appointed two Council Members (Vice Mayor Fish and Council Member McMorrin) to an Ad-Hoc Subcommittee to Draft the Argument in Favor/Rebuttal to Argument Against the Measure.
At the City Council meeting of July 27, 2026, the City Council considered and approved a proposal to place an additional measure on the ballot to increase the Transient Hotel Tax (TOT) from 14% to 15% through March 1, 2028 and then to 16% until ended by the voters. The Council also appointed Vice Mayor Fish and Council Member McMorrin to prepare an Argument in Favor/Rebuttal to Argument Against the Measure.
The City Council is requested to discuss, make desired changes if any, and approve the arguments in favor of the Questions.
Consideration of the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee’s Argument in Favor of a Measure
Pursuant to the Elections Code, the City Council, authorized members of the City Council, citizen associations and private citizens may submit arguments for or against the proposed Measure. Only one ballot argument for and one ballot argument against each measure and rebuttals to each may be printed in the sample ballot. The Elections Code gives preference to the arguments submitted by the City Council, as a body, or by Council Members authorized to submit arguments by the City Council.
On June 22, the City Council adopted Resolution 2026-R077, and on July 27, 2026 Resolution 2026-R085, which each authorized the arguments for the respective measures to be brought back to City Council for approval, or, in the alternative, authorized certain Council Members to submit the written arguments to the Elections Official by the filing deadline.
Pursuant to the Elections Code, up to five signatures may appear with the argument(s) as printed in the sample ballot. A rebuttal argument would only be needed in the case a primary argument against the measure is filed.
Section 9285 of the Elections Code states that “the author or a majority of the authors of an argument relating to a city measure may prepare and submit a rebuttal argument or may authorize in writing another person or persons to prepare, submit, or sign the rebuttal argument.”
As per Resolution 2026-R080, City Council determined that if a rebuttal argument is necessary for either measure, then the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee would be retained and exercise its existing authority to draft and submit to the City Clerk a rebuttal argument.
Section 9286(a) of the Elections Code provides, in pertinent part:
“…the city elections official shall fix a date 14 days from the calling of the election as a deadline, after which no arguments for or against any city measure may be submitted…”
Section 9285(a)(4) provides, in pertinent part:
“…A rebuttal argument relating to a city measure shall be filed with the elections official no later than 10 days after the final filing date for primary arguments…”
Pursuant to Resolution 2026-R079 and the Elections Code 9286, the deadline for submission of arguments for or against the measure (Primary Arguments) is August 14, 2026 at 5:30 PM. Primary Arguments shall not exceed 300 words in length. Rebuttal arguments are due 10 days after the primary arguments are due and shall not exceed 250 words. The deadline for rebuttal arguments would be August 24, 2026 at 5:30 PM and would only be applicable if an argument against the measure is timely filed. All arguments must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office no later than the date and time announced in order to be considered. Late filings are not accepted.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Approval of this item does not create a fiscal impact to the City.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-08-10_ATT_Proposed Resolution Approving Primary Arguments for Ballot Measures
recommended action
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution approving the arguments in favor of questions relating to one tax measure and one proposed Charter amendment to be considered by the voters at the General Municipal Election of November 3, 2026.