Posted by Gary Wesley, a resident of another community, on Oct 27, 2012 at 11:39 pm

At the start of the October 23 Menlo Park City Council meeting, I suggested that a city must have its own constitution called a "city charter" to have control over "municipal affairs" under Article 11 of the California Constitution. I am told that the City Attorney was later asked whether being a charter ciy would help Menlo Park in dealing with state dictates regarding its "fair share" of new housing. Reportedly, the City Attorney said "no." The truth, however, is that there is no binding appellate court decision in Calfornia which has determined what "home rule" power a charter city possesses against such state dictates. The fact that city councils in charter cities have also gone along only proves they too receive poor legal advice. Wake up Menlo Park.