BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 546
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 546 (Stone)
As Amended March 19, 2013
Majority vote
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Achadjian, Levine, Alejo, | | |
| |Bradford, Gordon, | | |
| |Melendez, Mullin, | | |
| |Waldron, Atkins | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Authorizes the board of supervisors in Santa Cruz County,
by ordinance, to consolidate the duties of the offices of
Auditor-Controller and Treasurer-Tax Collector into the elected
office of Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector.
EXISTING LAW allows the board of supervisors in Mendocino County,
Sonoma County, Trinity County, and Tulare County, by ordinance, to
consolidate the duties of the offices of Auditor-Controller and
Treasurer-Tax Collector into the elected office of
Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : This bill allows the Santa Cruz County Board of
Supervisors (Board) to consolidate the duties of the offices of
Auditor-Controller and Treasurer-Tax Collector into the elected
office of Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, through an
ordinance. This bill is sponsored by the author.
According to the author's office, "(AB 546 will) grant the (Board)
the flexibility to consolidate the departments of Auditor-Controller
and of Treasurer-Tax collector into the elected office of
Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, if a vacancy occurs."
Current law enumerates a number of county officers in addition to
the county board of supervisors. County supervisors can adopt
ordinances that consolidate many of these separate offices. In
addition, the Legislature has allowed specific counties to
consolidate other offices, most recently with SB 567 (Aanestad),
Chapter 703, Statutes of 2008, which allows Trinity County to
AB 546
Page 2
combine the elected office of Auditor-Controller with the elected
position of Treasurer-Tax Collector, and AB 1318 (Evans), Chapter
407, Statutes of 2005, which grants the same authority to Sonoma
County.
In a letter to the Board dated April 2, the Santa Cruz County
Treasurer communicates a desire to begin a conversation with the
Board, the County Administrative Office, County Counsel, the
Auditor-Controller, and the Assessor-Recorder regarding the possible
consolidation of the Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office into the span
of responsibility of the Auditor-Controller. The letter recommends
a timeline for specified actions of the Board and associated
offices, with the goal of completing the consolidation before the
opening of filing for the 2014 election cycle. While consideration
of election timelines may be appropriate, the Legislature may also
wish to consider whether this bill is premature given that the Board
has not yet taken an official position on this proposal.
Analysis Prepared by : Angela Mapp / L. GOV. / (916) 319-3958 FN:
0000230