Hundreds turn out as San Bernardino council pauses charter change; council directs charter committee to reconvene

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Hundreds of residents packed a special City Council meeting Tuesday night to oppose a proposed “San Bernardino Good Government and Term Limits Initiative” that would impose term limits, eliminate primary elections and replace the directly elected mayor with one chosen by the council.

At a raucous public‑comment period that lasted more than four hours, speakers of all ages urged the council to delay structural changes and send the proposal instead to the city’s Charter Review Committee for study and public outreach. Many called the item a “power grab” and said the timing — on a low‑turnout June ballot — would disenfranchise voters the citywide mayor represents.

The council ultimately declined to place the amendment on the ballot immediately. After extended debate and a brief procedural maneuver that the mayor later vetoed, the council voted 5–2 to direct the city manager to reconvene the Charter Review Committee and hold community workshops before moving forward.

Why it matters: The proposal would change how San Bernardino’s chief executive is chosen — shifting the mayoralty from a citywide elected official to a council member selected by peers — and bundle that with other reforms (term limits and elimination of primaries). Speakers and neighborhood groups said the combination of items requires more public education and full vetting.

What residents said: “Let the people put the mayor in office,” said Skip Kane, a four‑decade resident who urged keeping the mayor directly elected. Student speakers, union members, pastors and business owners echoed the call for delay and better public outreach. Johnny Kim, a longtime resident and business owner, told the council, “I support Mayor Tran. I support keeping the office of the mayor.”

Council action: Council Member Ortiz moved to direct the city manager to reconvene the Charter Review Committee to review the proposed changes and organize public workshops. The motion passed after pushback and procedural back‑and‑forth. Earlier, Council Member Sanchez offered a substitute motion to direct staff to prepare charter amendment language and reinstate a charter committee member; that substitute passed 4–3 but the mayor announced a veto of that action before the council returned to Ortiz’s motion.

Legal and timeline notes: City attorneys advised the council about the administrative window to place items on the June primary ballot, noting a March 6 deadline to finalize ballot language. Staff also confirmed a special meeting could legally be scheduled with 24‑hour notice if the council chose to do so.

What’s next: The council asked the city manager to reconvene the Charter Review Committee and set workshops for community input. Council members and residents said the next steps should include transparent outreach and interpretation services for Spanish and other non‑English speakers.

Mayor Helen Tran closed the meeting by thanking residents for turning out: “Tonight, the people of San Bernardino were heard,” she said. The council adjourned at 10:08 p.m.