Local Ballot Measures

Oxnard voters in RiverPark will have four local ballot measures for consideration for the November 5, 2024 election.

Measure C – Oxnard Term Limits Act

Amends the City’s existing term limit regulations. After the Mayor or a member of the City Council has served in office for three consecutive terms, they are not be eligible to be elected or appointed to that same position again until at least two years has passed from the date that they left office.

Measure C was passed by 55% of the voters in November 2022.

Measure E  – City of Oxnard 911 Safety, Medical Response, Financial Recovery and Accountability Measure

A locally controlled 1.5 cent local sales funding for Services Like 911 Safety/Medical Response, Financial Recovery and Accountability Measure.

Measure E was approved by 55.92% of the voters in November 2020.

Measure F – Oxnard Permit Simplicity Act

Measure F is the result of a voter-approved ballot initiative and is now codified in the Oxnard City Code as Chapter 26. The program allows for the issuance of a permit in one business day if the permit applicant passes a training course and completes all of the eligibility requirements listed below.

Measure F was approved by 50.71% of the voters in November 2020.

Measure M – Oxnard Open Meetings Act

An initiative establishing meeting procedures for city legislative bodies to follow including use of prerecorded staff presentations, use of Robert’s Rules of Order, purchase of guidebooks and training on meeting procedures, restriction of meeting times and alter rules for public comment.

Measure M was approved by 57.23% of the voters in November 2020. The City challenged Measure M as the initiative was “administrative” rather than “legislative” in nature, and therefore invalid. The Court of Appeal interpreted Measure M as legislative and upheld the ballot measure.

Measure N – Termination of Sales Tax

An initiative authorizing early termination of the sales tax established through Measure O in 2008 if street and alley work do not meet the Pavement Condition Index requirement.

Measure O was approved by 51.7% of the voters in November 2020. The City of Oxnard challenged Measure N as invalid because a voter initiative cannot direct how a general tax (Measure O) should be spent once the tax has been enacted.

The Ventura County Superior Court and the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal both ruled in favor of the City. Measure N’s author, Aaron Starr, petitioned the California Supreme Court to reverse the lower court rulings, but the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

Measure L

An initiative authorizing an increase of power to the city treasurer that cannot be reduced by the city council, a reduction of oversight authority of the city manager and finance director, and grants authority to the city treasurer over the city’s budget, investment portfolio, finance department and annual municipal budget preparation.

Measure L was defeated by 61.67% of the voters in November 2020.

Measure B – Oxnard Government Accountability and Ethics Act

Prohibits councilmembers and commissioners from accepting gifts from lobbyists and contractors; eliminates the influence of outside special interests by strengthening campaign finance reforms and limiting political contributions to Mayoral and City Council candidates; expands transparency by posting the City’s monthly financial reporting and City contracts on the website; and updates term limits for the Mayor and members of the City Council.

Measure B was passed by 82.48% of the voters in March 2020.

Measure M – Wastewater Rates Repeal

An initiative to repeal the city’s increased wastewater rates adopted in January 2016 and returning to the lower rates previously in effect.

Measure M was passed by 72.19% of the voters in 2016.

The city sued to invalidate Measure M. The trial court issued a preliminary injunction but ultimately found Measure M to be valid. The Court of Appeal reversed that ruling, stating that “the uncontradicted evidence shows Measure M violates the Revenue Bond Law of 1941.” (Gov. Code, § 54300 et seq.).

Measure O

Measure O is a local half-cent sales tax supplement that was approved by 65% of Oxnard voters in 2008 that provides locally controlled funding for protection, maintenance and expansion of vital City services that our community relies on. Measure O funding is scheduled to end in March 2029.

All expenditures of funds raised by Measure O must be publicly approved by the City Council. Additionally, the Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee ensures that expenditures are in compliance with the voter-approved measure.

Annual Reports

The Measure O Ordinance No. 2779 requires that a written report be provided annually to every household in the City detailing how much revenue is generated by the ordinance and how funds are used.

Oversight Committee

In March 2010, the Oxnard City Council adopted Resolution No. 13,776 establishing the Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee composed of nine members. The Committee was appointed to review the use of Measure O revenues approved by the City Council.

On December 17, 2019, City Council adopted Resolution 15,288 revising establishment of the Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee. The revisions include the formation of committee members to reflect the Council Districts, appointment terms, and more.

The Commission meets quarterly, typically on the fourth Thursday of January, April, July and October. Meetings typically begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Oxnard Council Chambers, 305 West Third Street or other City-owned publically available space. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee meeting, you should contact the Office of the City Manager at 385-7430. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting.

Please call or email Luly Lopez, Commission Liaison, at 385-8017 or [email protected] if you have any questions about the Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee.