INTRODUCTION TherepublicationoftheCharterandthepreparationofanIntroductionpresentanopportunity forsettingdownsomeinterestinghistoricalfacts.TheCityofStocktonwasfoundedinJuneof1849, duringtheyearfollowingthesigningoftheTreatyofGuadalupeHidalgobetweentheUnitedStatesand Mexico.SincethefirstConstitutionoftheStatewasapprovedbythevotersinNovemberof1849, StocktonwasfoundedpriortotheadoptionofthefirstStateConstitution. AnIntroductionpresentstheopportunityforsettingdownsomeinterestinghistoricalfacts.By theyear1848,CharlesM.Weber,GermanbornfounderofStockton,chosetohonorCommodore RobertF.Stocktonbybestowinghisnameonthefledglingcommunity.Stocktonwasthefirst communityinCaliforniatohaveanAngloAmericanname,allothersbeingofSpanishorIndianorigin. CaliforniaoperatedundertheConstitutionof1849fromDecemberof1849andpriortoits admissionintotheUniononSeptember9,1850.InMarchof1850theLegislaturepassedanactwhich providedfortheincorporationofcitiesandStocktonwasincorporatedpursuanttothisactinJulyof 1850,priortotheadmissionofCaliforniaintotheUnion.Stocktonwas,therefore,foundedbefore CaliforniahadaconstitutionandincorporatedbeforeitwasadmittedtotheUnion.

n. TheCityofStocktonwasfoundedinJuneof1849,duringtheyearfollowingthesigningofthe TreatyofGuadalupeHidalgobetweentheUnitedStatesandMexico.ThefirstConstitutionoftheState wasapprovedbythevotersinNovemberof1849.CaliforniaoperatedunderthisConstitutionuntilits admissionintotheUniononSeptember9,1850.InMarchof1850theLegislaturepassedanactwhich providedfortheincorporationofcities.StocktonwasincorporatedpursuanttothisactinJulyof1850. Stocktonwas,therefore,foundedbeforeCaliforniahadaconstitutionandincorporatedbeforeitwas admittedtotheUnion. StocktonreceiveditsfirstCharter,aspeciallegislativecharter,fromtheStateLegislaturein 1851.Itwasthepracticeunderthe1849Constitutiontoenactspeciallegislativecharterswhichwere purelylegislativeenactmentsandnotinitiatedbythecities.Thispracticecontinueduntiltheenactment ofanewstateConstitutionin1879.Duringtheperiodfrom1849to1879,Stocktonoperatedunder severalspecialcharters. Itwasthepracticeunderthe1849Constitutiontoenactspeciallegislativecitycharterswhich werepurelylegislativeenactments,notinitiatedbythecities.StocktonreceiveditsfirstCharterfrom theStateLegislaturein1851.Thecityoperatedunderseveralspecialchartersuntiltheenactmentofa newstateConstitutionin1879. ThenewConstitutionof1879revolutionizedmunicipalgovernmentinCaliforniabypermittingany cityofover100,000peopletoframeitsownCharter,subjecttoratificationbytheLegislaturewhichis practicallyautomatic.ThisTheConstitutionwaslateramendedtomaketheprovisionapplytoanycity havingmorethan3,500population.Citieswhichhavetakenadvantageofthisprovisionofthe Constitutionarereferredtoaslocalcharterorhomerulemunicipalities.Suchachartergivesacitythe righttodealwithstrictlymunicipalaffairsandgivesacitypartialindependencefromthestate legislature.Thisindependenceisconfinedtocityaffairs,however,anddoesnotcarryovertomattersof statewideconcern.

StocktonsfirstlocalCharterunderthe1879Constitutionwasapprovedbythevotersin1888and ratifiedbytheStateLegislaturein1889.ItwasunderThisCharterthatStocktonoperatedundera establishedacommissionformofgovernment,withtheacommissioncomposedofdepartmentheads whoalsoactedaslegislators. Intheyear1921,therewasconsiderablesentimentforachangefromthecommissionformtothe citymanagercouncilformofgovernment.Earlyin1922,twelveleadingcivicorganizationsrequested theCommissiontocallanelectionfortheselectionoffifteenfreeholderswhoshouldproposeanew charter.TheCommissioncompliedwiththisrequestandafreeholderselectionwasheldinMayof 1922.InSeptemberof1922,thefreeholdersfiledwiththeCommissionacompletedraftofthenew Charter.ThisCharterwasthereafterratifiedbyamajorityoftheelectorsataspecialelectionheldin Novemberof1922anddulyapprovedbytheStateLegislatureinJanuary,1923. TheCityCharterhasbeenamendednumerous101timessinceitwasoriginallyapprovedin1922. Amendmentswerevotedonatalmosteveryelectionsince1926.Normally,theCharteramendments havebeenpresentedattheregularmunicipalelectionswhich,commencingwith1929,havebeenheld inOctoberoftheoddnumberedyearsthrough1981.Sincethen,however,theelectionshavebeen consolidatedwiththeStatesprimaryandgeneralelectionsheldinJuneandNovemberofeven numberedyears. AcommentisinorderonthenumberofamendmentstotheCharter.Fromthestandpointof goodgovernmentalpractice,achartershouldbeadocumentprovidingforabasicgovernmental structureandguaranteeingthecityfullcontrolofitsmunicipalaffairs.Often,itseemstohavebeen usedinlieuofthenormallegislativeprocedurewhichisbyordinanceandwhichprovidesagreater flexibility.RecentamendmentstotheCharterhavebeenmadetomodernizearchaiclanguage,clarify ambiguitiesoftext,anddevelopguidelinesthatwillleadStocktonintothetwentyfirstcentury. Acolorfulandhistoricalnote:Bytheyear1848,CharlesM.Weber,Germanbornfounderof Stockton,chosetohonorCommodoreRobertF.Stocktonbybestowinghisnameonthefledgling community.StocktonwasthefirstcommunityinCaliforniatohaveanAmericanname,allothersbeing ofSpanishorIndianorigin. AspecialacknowledgementtoWilliamBiddick,Jr.(CityAttorneyin1954,SuperiorCourtjudge 19601980)forhiscontributiontothisintroduction.