CRESCENT CITY -- The idea of joining the city and Del Norte County into a single governmental entity seems to be gathering support at the state level.
This past week the Assembly Local Government Committee unanimously approved a bill establishing guidelines for the proposed consolidation. The bill, authored by North Coast Assemblywoman Patty Berg, D-Eureka, now moves to the Assembly floor.
"Consolidation may provide Del Norte County and Crescent City with some real opportunities for cost savings and efficiencies," said Berg, in a press release from Sacramento on Thursday.
The state's Constitution allows counties and cities to consolidate, with the legislative bill providing guiding language. Ultimately consolidation will go into effect only if a majority of voters in Crescent City and throughout Del Norte County approve the city-county charter. Currently San Francisco is the only municipality in the state that has a consolidated city-county government.
Earlier this year the Crescent City Council and Del Norte Board of Supervisors passed resolutions directing the Del Norte Local Agency Formation Commission to conduct a detailed analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of consolidating.
That study has been initiated, with the first phase examining whether the city and counties would gain or lose money by the effort, said Del Norte County Counsel Robert Black.
Depending on what this phase concludes, a second phase would look more at the nuts and bolts of consolidation, such as how to merge two different payrolls, departments, staffing, properties and other issues, Black said.
While the study hasn't been completed, Black said he and other officials believe consolidation will bring practical benefits, such as increased efficiency and accountability by having only one governmental entity setting policy throughout the county.
"And it has the potential to create a very powerful voice on behalf of the community," Black said.