San Fernando staff: municipal ID program feasible but costly; council declines to pursue now
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Summary
Staff told council that a municipal identification program would require significant start‑up and operating costs (estimated $400,000–$500,000 for first two years) and dedicated staff; council favored awaiting planned state ID expansions and did not direct immediate program adoption.
City staff presented a feasibility analysis for a municipal identification card program and recommended council direction after outlining substantial start‑up costs and operational needs.
Staff presentation: Will Pettenar reviewed national and California precedents and said implementing a municipal ID in San Fernando would require dedicated staff, card‑production equipment, secure software, bilingual and ADA‑compliant service delivery, and private office space for document verification. He estimated start‑up and first two years’ costs between $400,000 and $500,000 (about $200K–$250K per year) and projected ongoing annual costs in later years of roughly $100K–$150K.
State alternatives and council reaction: Staff noted the state is expanding non‑driver ID access (transcript referenced state bills and timelines) and that California IDs available without proof of citizenship are expected to be issued at scale by 2027, offering broader legal recognition at a lower cost than a municipal system. Given the financial and administrative barriers and the pending state options, councilmembers expressed reluctance to move forward and generally advised not to pursue a stand‑alone municipal ID at this time.
Outcome: Council did not direct staff to implement a municipal ID program now; staff will monitor state developments and can revisit the issue if circumstances change.