Malin Burnham and George Mitrovich, who co-chaired a committee that analyzed San Diego’s municipal government from 1998 to 2001, are expected to ask the City Council, and failing that, ask the voters in 2004 to approve the following language to change the City Charter, giving San Diego a “strong mayor” form of government similar to most major cities, all 50 states and the federal government.

Mitrovich, founder of the City Club of San Diego and the more recent Good Government Committee of San Diego, expects to host former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis to publicly discuss the "strong mayor" proposal in San Diego Jan. 24.

Here’s the details:

Office Of The Mayor

The Mayor shall have authority over the executive branch of city government.

The executive branch shall consist of all city departments, agencies, boards, and commissions, with the exception of the offices of City Attorney, Auditor, Clerk, Council, Independent Budget Analyst, and the department of personnel.

The Mayor shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the city.

The Mayor shall nominate the city’s Chief Administrative Officer (previously known as the City Manager) to exercise professional city management; said nominee shall be subject to council confirmation.

The Mayor shall have the power to dismiss the city’s Chief Administrative Officer without recourse.

The Mayor shall nominate the police chief, fire chief, and planning director. Such nominees shall be subject to council confirmation.

The Mayor may dismiss the police chief, fire chief, and planning director. Such action is subject to City Council review and/or rejection of said dismissal(s) by majority vote of the full council.

The Mayor shall select the city’s agency and department directors, with the exception of the offices of City Attorney, Auditor, Clerk, Council, Independent Budget Analyst, and the department of personnel.

The Mayor shall have the power to dismiss the city’s agency and department directors without recourse. Exempted are the offices of City Attorney, Auditor, Clerk, Council, Independent Budget Analyst, and the department of personnel.

The Mayor shall propose the city’s budget.

The Mayor shall have the power to veto the city’s budget, as approved by the City Council, or eliminate any line-item thereof.

The Mayor shall have the power to veto any legislative action of the council, except for the annual tax levy, zoning ordinances, emergency ordinances, ordinances calling elections, and any other ordinance requiring a two-thirds vote of the full council.

In the event of a vacancy in the Office of Mayor, existing by reason of any cause, the following procedure shall be followed: If the vacancy occurs for any reason other than a successful recall election and there is one year or less remaining in the Mayor’s term, the presiding officer of the council shall become Mayor. If there is more than one year remaining in the Mayor’s term, a special election will be held. Until a successor is elected the presiding officer shall serve as Mayor. If a vacancy occurs by reason of a successful recall election, the council shall adopt procedures to fill the vacancy.

City Council

The City Council shall constitute the legislative branch of city government.

The City Council shall annually elect a presiding officer (or such nomenclature as the council shall deem appropriate).

The City Council shall appoint by majority vote, during the transition from council-manager to Mayor-council, a person to serve as an at-large member for a period not to exceed two years and/or, until the next regular municipal election. Said appointee shall serve until a 9th council district is created (following the 2000 census). Said appointee shall not be eligible to run for any council district seat.

In the event of a vacancy in a council district, the following procedure shall be followed: If the vacancy occurs for any reason other than a successful recall election and there is one year or less remaining in the council member’s term, the council shall appoint an individual to fill the vacancy; said appointment shall take place within 60 calendar days of the vacancy created. Said appointee shall not be eligible to run for the council seat to which he or she was appointed. If there is more than one year remaining in the council member’s term, a special election shall be held. If a vacancy occurs by reason of a successful Recall Election, the council shall adopt procedures to fill the vacancy.

The City Council shall establish an Office of Independent Budget Analyst.

The City Council shall set its own rules and determine its docket.

The City Council shall establish such committees as it deems necessary.

The City Council shall confirm, by majority vote, the Mayor’s nominees for police chief, fire chief, and planning director.

The City Council shall reserve the right to review, and reject, by majority vote of the full Council, the Mayor’s dismissal(s) of the police chief, fire chief, or planning director. The council has seven days in which to exercise its right of review and possible rejection of the Mayor’s action, but is not otherwise obligated to act. If the council is in recess when such dismissals occur, the seven-day period begins on the date of the next council meeting.

The City Council shall confirm, by majority vote, the Mayor’s nominee of the Chief Administrative Officer.

The Chief Administrative Officer shall attend council meetings.

The City Council shall have the power to directly question executive department directors by written, oral or electronic communication.

The City Council shall have the power to require executive department directors and/or their designees, to appear before committees of the council.

The council shall set, by majority vote, the city’s budget.

The City Council shall have the right to override, by two-thirds vote, any Mayoral veto.

If, and when, the presiding officer becomes Mayor, that vacant council seat will be filled by council appointment, if the term of office remaining is less than one year. If the term is more than one year, a special election would be held. The appointee shall not be eligible to run for the council seat to which he or she accepts appointment. No such prohibition would apply to the former presiding officer who assumes the office of Mayor. (In agreeing to serve as presiding officer, said person accepts the condition that if he or she becomes Mayor they forfeit any right to their former office other than through the election process.)