Opinion No. (1998)

DANIEL E. LUNGREN Attorney General GREGORY GONOT Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE WILLIAM A. CRAVEN, MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE, has requested an opinion on the following questions: 1. Does the appointment power of an elected mayor of a general law city extend to appointments (a) to regional boards, commissions, and committees, (b) that a city ordinance requires to be made by the city council, and (c) to subcommittees of the city council? 2. Does the city council have the authority to direct the mayor to appoint a particular person in any of the above-described circumstances? CONCLUSIONS 1. Unless otherwise specifically provided by statute and subject to the approval of the city council, the appointment power of an elected mayor of a general law city extends to appointments (a) to regional boards, commissions, and committees, (b) that a city ordinance requires to be made by the city council, and (c) to subcommittees of the city council. 2. The city council does not have the authority to direct the mayor to appoint a particular person in any of the above-described circumstances. ANALYSIS The questions presented for analysis concern the authority of an elected mayor…