Orange · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Orange public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Proposed City Charter on November ballot
Tavoularis wants Orange to explore becoming a charter city for more local control, following Fullerton and Fountain Valley — staff will bring back a proposal.
Five-Year Capital Improvement Program conformance
The city's five-year, $140.4 million capital plan covers street repairs, water and sewer lines, parks, and city facility upgrades. Eleven projects worth $7.2 million were deferred to help balance the general fund, and the water fund is projected to end the year with just $281,000.
Chapman University PILOT negotiations collapse
Chapman — with a billion-dollar endowment and tax-exempt real estate — has refused to keep negotiating a payment in lieu of taxes. Councilmember Barrios and Mayor Slater publicly blamed each other for the collapse. Staff will study what legal tools exist to get large nonprofits to contribute to city costs.
SB 707 Brown Act modernization compliance
A resident claims the mayor cut his speaking time at the February 24 meeting in violation of the Brown Act, and says he filed a cure-and-correct letter on March 10 with a 30-day response deadline.
Late-distributed staff materials hamper public review
OPTA repeatedly complained that agenda packets and historic assessments arrive days or hours before meetings, making meaningful public review impossible. Committee members agreed and flagged it as a recurring problem.