HUNTINGTON CIVIC CENTER with voting drop box in foreground (OC Tribune photo).

The Orange County Tribune is a non-partisan news organization and we do not endorse candidates for public office.

But we do make recommendations on ballot measures such as tax matters, city council and school board district matters and other issues that don’t line up along party lines …. or – at least – shouldn’t.

Here are our recommendations. Agree or not, but please take the time to vote. Bad government is often “elected” by those who don’t bother to cast a ballot

Measures A, B, C:
Huntington Beach charter amendments
* Measure A would – starting in 2026 – require voter identification for elections, increase the number of in-person voting locations and approve the in-person monitoring of ballot drop boxes.

* Measure B would state which flags can be displayed on city property, and require that it would take unanimous approval of the city council to display a different flag.

* Measure C would required the city to adopt a two-year budget, change the process of cancelling a regular city council meeting, change the process of filling a city council vacancy and amend “outdated” language in the charter.

Measure E calls for a 1/2 cent sales and transaction increase in the City of Westminster.

Our recommendations
As a general rule, the proposed Huntington Beach charter amendments appear to follow a national playbook reflecting belief in widespread election fraud, objections to “alternate lifestyles” and skepticism about the democratic process.

Measure A tracks with the discredited theory of widespread voter fraud and would require the constitutionally questionable use of voter ID to cast a ballot.

Measure B – regardless of the stated purpose – is a convoluted way to block the flying of the gay rights “rainbow” flag, and it defies the democratic purpose of majority rule by requiring a unanimous vote to deviate from the approved list.

Measure C requires the city to adopt a two-year budget – not necessarily a bad thing – and makes some changes to the process of filling council vacancies and firing a city manager.

We recommend a “no” vote on Measures A and B, have no recommendation on Measure C.

In Westminster, the city is facing another financial crisis and could run out of money as soon as 2027-28. The half-cent sales tax would go a long way toward balancing the municipal books and would put Westminster at the highest permissive sales tax, meaning that no new sales tax increases are possible.

Westminster is burdened by one of the lowest property tax rates in California and the demise of Westminster Mall has cut sales tax revenue dramatically. The alternative – doing nothing but cut municipal services – is irresponsible.

We recommend a “yes” vote on Measure E.