Politics & Government

Murrieta Opposes Proposed League of Cities Resolutions

Murrieta and other California cities will be asked to submit votes on six policy-setting resolutions, including replacing the death penalty in California with life imprisonment.

When Mayor Pro Tem Doug McAllister goes before the League of California Cities this month, he will have some clear-cut messages from the city of Murrieta.

McAllister acts as the city's voting delegate this year for the League, and is set to attend its annual conference in San Francisco Sept. 21-23. Murrieta, along with other member cities, were asked to weigh in on six proposed policy-setting resolutions.

McAllister and alternate delegate Mayor Randon Lane make up a subcommittee tasked with making council recommendations on the resolutions, which range from local support for ending the death penalty in California to local anti-bullying awareness. They met with staff to discuss the city's stance on the items prior to McAllister's trip.

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"There was a great deal of concern expressed regarding the direction of League resolutions and the controversial issues that do not seem to pertain to the League's mission of local control," wrote Brian Ambrose, senior management analyst for the city of Murrieta, in a staff report.

The Council voted to oppose five of six League resolutions, only approving one that would allow alternative methods of public notices. Other methods would include email blasts and website postings.

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Murrieta opposes a resolution to support replacement of the death penalty in California with life imprisonment. Additionally, the city opposes a resolution to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 in California. The act would ban the placement of young adults under 18 years old into adult prisons and jails.

Council members cited prison issues being out of their sphere of responsibility.

"We are getting into the business of the justice system; the police and courts and justice system are better places to get involved in this than in the League of Cities," said Councilman Rick Gibbs.

Council also opposed a resolution that cities commit to public anti-bullying awareness programs, citing that it was again an example of over-reaching by the League.

Councilman Alan Long was hesitant in opposing the measure, saying bullying does not take place only in schools, but in public parks, recreation centers, libraries and on buses.

"What I have learned over the last year, I was amazed at the statistics of bullying," Long said, noting that it takes place over text messaging, online and through video games.

He agreed to oppose the resolution with the caveat that a local anti-bullying task force be created, to which Council agreed. Long volunteered to sit on the task force.

To add to that, Police Chief Mike Baray told Council that the police department and the school district have a longstanding relationship, which includes creating awareness about bullying and its dangers.

Council also opposed a resolution calling for tort reform to what the League says are frivolous lawsuits against cities, counties and school districts. The resolution seeks to implement a "loser pay all" policy, which Councilwoman Kelly Bennett, an attorney, said is similar to taking away freedom of speech.

"Many will not even seek access to justice because the fear of failure," Bennett said. "And while the city of Murrieta and schools have a lot of frivolous lawsuits...I can’t go along with it. We happen to have a very good group of folks leading and managing this city who are full of integrity.

"It would arm the city with an undue balance of power."

Lastly, Council opposed a resolution to honor the City of Bell as it recovers from public corruption. Instead, Murrieta will recommend a substitute resolution that also honors the League of California Cities and other organizations for their mentoring of Bell following the scandal.


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