What Does the Torrance City Council Do?

What does the Torrance City Council do and how does its work affect you?

As a Charter City, Torrance is governed by a Council/Manager form of government. The City Council consists of the Mayor and six City Council members. The Mayor and Council members are elected at large by registered voters of the City and each serve a four-year term. Elections are held every two years, on the even year.

Unlike some cities, such as Los Angeles, that have three or more or even no term limits, the City of Torrance has a two term limit for Council and Mayoral positions. Setting these kinds of term limits is one effective way to prevent corruption and stagnation due to career politicians holding office for decades or more.  With an eight year total for a single position, Torrance voters are able to ensure that their elected representatives, such as City Council candidate Aurelio Mattucci, will truly hold the best interests of the city and its residents at the forefront of the decision making process. Mattucci is a shining example of a long-term resident who deeply cares about his home town and its future.

In this type of Council/Manager form of government, the City Council carries a number of significant responsibilities that directly affect residents. They are responsible for:

* Adopting Legislation 
* Setting Policy 
* Adjudicating Issues 
* Establishing the Budget of the City. 

One of the Council’s most important duties is creating and managing the City’s budget, which is also one of the primary issues Aurelio Mattucci stands for.  Mattucci is concerned with planning a budget with a mind for the future because, “years from now we will have to deal with the decisions of today.”  When elected, he will take a conservative approach to spending, prioritizing expenditures by “necessity not popularity.”

Other functions of The City Council are to appoint the City Manager and City Attorney. The City Manager acts as the administering head of the government and works closely with the Council to implement policy and laws. In the capacity of their offices, Council members and the Mayor may serve as representatives on intergovernmental and regional boards, commissions and committees. The Council will also appoint volunteers to serve on various advisory boards, commissions and committees. 

In a spirit of transparency and accountability, Council members and the Mayor are directly accountable to the electorate. In their work, they must constantly weigh the interests of individuals and groups with the needs of the entire community. For a candidate like Aurelio Mattucci, that is just what he plans to do when serving the city of Torrance that he has loved for over 30 years.

The Council meets every Tuesday in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 3031 Torrance Boulevard, unless specifically adjourned to another time or place. Regular business generally starts at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise publicly noticed.  Closed door Executive Sessions may occasionally convene, as authorized under the Ralph M. Brown Act, at 5:30 p.m.