Ventura · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Ventura public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
District-based appointments and advisory board overhaul
Starting January 2027, each council member would nominate one member to each city board, replacing the public ARC interview process. The council also backed a new environmental standing committee and renamed bodies as commissions.
Public art funding from water ratepayer funds
The council moved to permanently end the 2% public art set-aside from water and sewer capital projects, citing rate affordability and Prop 218 legal risk — about $2.8 million would otherwise come from the Ventura Water Pure project. Arts supporters urged the council to keep the 30-year-old program alive for other projects.
User and Regulatory Fee Increases
The city updated nearly 500 fees, with the short-term rental renewal fee jumping from $725 to $1,526 — a 210% increase that split the council. Most fees rise only 1-5%.
Advisory bodies restructuring
Councilmember Mangone previewed the ad hoc committee's recommendations: district-based appointments, renaming groups as commissions, planning commission taking on design review, and a package due to the full council in late June.
Charter Amendments: Mayor's Term and Measure P Revisit
The council is weighing whether to shorten the mayor's term from two years to one year and redo the failed 2024 Measure P charter changes — but at $81,000 per ballot measure and with a sales tax measure also planned, members opted to send it all to the rules committee, with several pushing for a full charter review committee targeting 2028.
Senior services program transition
The county stops running the senior services program in June, and the state will issue an RFP for a new local operator. Councilmember Duran wants the council more involved in meeting the organizations it ends up endorsing.