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Council members criticize charter‑commission mailer; clerk says commission paid for brochure, one member says she will file complaint

5934248 · September 30, 2025
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Summary

Council members raised concerns on Sept. 29 about a mailer titled “Your Charter, Your Choice,” saying it used the city seal and presented pro‑charter language rather than neutral voter information.

Council members pressed for clarity on a widely distributed mailer about the city charter review, saying the piece appeared to advocate for the charter commission's recommendations rather than neutrally informing voters.

Council Member Jackson said she received a mailer titled “Your Charter, Your Choice” that used the city seal and presented language she described as promotional. “This is a persuasive piece of paper that has a QR code that has even more persuasive arguments for the Charter Commission to change,” Jackson told the council during members’ remarks, adding that the mailer “does not lay out both sides” and omitted mention of a change to the commission’s review interval.

Another council member told the council she had taken the mailer to the city attorney and planned to file a complaint with the State Attorney General about possible campaign‑finance or disclosure violations. “Tomorrow morning I will be filing a complaint with the State Attorney General,” the council member said on the record.

Clerk Jackson responded during council comment that the mailer was paid for with city dollars “by the commission as part of their budget,” and that the mailer had been vetted by the commission’s attorney for compliance with election law. The clerk said the commission hired a public‑relations firm to produce the material and that the commission determined it complied with applicable law.

Council discussion focused on whether the piece should have been informational rather than persuasive and whether the city seal’s appearance on the mailer was appropriate. Some council members asked for clearer disclosure and neutral voter education from city‑sponsored materials. There was no formal council vote about the mailer at the Sept. 29 meeting; one council member announced an intent to file a complaint to the State Attorney General and others said they would seek procedural clarifications.