Antioch Council to consider becoming a charter city, allowing a real estate transfer tax, higher council member salaries

Will also consider updating Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance making it easier to build in-law apartments on single and multi family home properties

By Allen Payton

The City Council will consider converting Antioch from the current general law city into a charter city to have greater, local power at their meeting on Tuesday night. Most of the cities in California are general law cities, and only two of the 19 cities in Contra Costa County are charter cities, including Richmond and San Ramon.

Two differences between the types of cities, according to the staff report, is that charter cities can impose a real estate transfer tax that general law cities can’t, and council salaries can be whatever amount the council decides. General law cities have a cap on council salaries based on population. For example, in Richmond the mayor, who is separately elected like the mayor of Antioch, is paid over $91,000 per year in salary and benefits. The mayor of Antioch is currently paid approximately $26,700 in salary and benefits. But, that will increase next year as all five council members elected in November will receive $1,600 per month instead of the current $941 per month salary.

State law allows a county to impose a tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of value on every real estate transaction. A charter city can charge more than that, which will increase the cost when someone buys or sells a home, land or commercial building.

To read the entire staff report on the agenda item, here: Charter City – ACC022520

In addition, in response to new state laws passed to address the housing and homeless crises, the council will consider adopting a revised Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, which will make it easier for property owners to build what are known as “in-law” units. See staff report on agenda item, here: ADU Ordinance ACC022520

The meeting will be held at the Antioch Community Center at Prewett Park. It can be viewed on Comcast local cable Channel 24 or viewed livestream on the city’s website, here.

See the entire meeting agenda, here: ACC022520


the attachments to this post:


ADU Ordinance ACC022520


Charter City – ACC022520


ACC022520


One Comment to “Antioch Council to consider becoming a charter city, allowing a real estate transfer tax, higher council member salaries”

  1. Michele says:

    Are you kidding me? Right now City Officials need to figure out how to better the Quality of Life in Antioch by addressing the fact that we are inundated by crime daily and we have a huge problem with homelessness that encompasses public health issues due to feces on our streets, used hypodermic needles, trash, fires and people roaming our streets trying to steal anything and everything to fund their next “fix” at night while we sleep or during the day while we are working. We also have EMPTY commercial buildings all over the city and folks who walk out of existing stores with baskets overfilled with merchandise/food without paying on a daily basis!! The LAST thing taxpayers need to fund is the costs associated with making Antioch a Charter City. Perhaps in the future, after the cleaning up the mess that is continually driving away tax-paying residents, but not at this time!

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