Local Control
Porterville decides how public works get done.
Porterville Measure U
Local control of public works
A $5,000 rule from 1971 should not control Porterville forever. Measure U would amend Section 61 so the City can decide how public works get done—instead of being locked into a bidding system written before today’s expensive state mandates.
Measure U would restore local control, make fixing roads and infrastructure more affordable, and support local jobs and local growth.
Keep Taxpayer Dollars Here
Everyone benefits. Keep more money in town and pay more to local workers.
Local Jobs and Growth
Support more Porterville paychecks and local work.
The one change that matters
Current Charter vs. Measure U
Current Charter
Section 61 generally requires covered projects over $5,000 to be competitively bid and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, subject to exceptions contained in the Charter.
Measure U
Measure U would give Porterville broader authority to determine whether work is performed by City employees, more competitive local contractors, or other public agencies and to establish local purchasing and contracting procedures.
A $5,000 rule from 1971 should not control Porterville forever.
$5,000
Section 61 threshold, unchanged since 1971
≈ $41,000
July 2026 buying power, based on BLS CPI
That makes the current threshold unusually restrictive for routine repairs and smaller projects.
See the Section 61 historyRoads
The most basic function of government
Porterville has dramatically increased road repair by using City crews and local control. The $5,000 Charter rule is still a limiter.
Measure U would remove that cap so the City can do more road maintenance—and keep taxpayer dollars in Porterville instead of bidding ordinary street work to out-of-town contractors.
See how Measure U affects the roadsQuick answers
Measure U at a glance
| What is Measure U? | A proposed amendment to Porterville’s City Charter Section 61 to give the City broader authority to determine how public work projects are done. |
|---|---|
| Why is this important? | California imposes expensive and unnecessary mandates when it comes to public-work projects. Measure U replaces a rigid local Charter requirement, giving more flexibility and avoiding expensive state mandates. |
| Why now? | Over the past decade, new intense laws and regulations have constricted Porterville's ability to afford basic maintenance and repair. Measure U would grant the City a modern approach in navigating an increasingly expensive and complex regulatory environment. |
| Does this remove competitive bidding for public-works projects? | No, Measure U does not abolish competitive bidding. It allows the City to manage competitive bidding more flexibly through modern rulesetting. |
| How old is the $5,000 rule? | It has not changed since 1971. That is about $41,000 in July 2026 buying power. |
| Why not just increase the $5,000 threshold? | The cost of simple maintenance projects has not increased proportionally to inflation. |
| Can the City use its own crews? | Measure U explicitly authorizes that. The current Charter requires bidding out projects over $5,000, which is not always necessary and takes away funding for City jobs. |
| Can the City still use contractors? | Yes—more competitive local contractors instead of expensive non-local ones. |
| Can it work with other public agencies? | Yes. |
| Does it keep work in Porterville? | It would authorize City crews so public works are not forced into an out-of-town contractor market. |
| Does it support local jobs? | Yes. Local control is how Porterville can keep more work, paychecks, and growth in town. |
| Will it increase road maintenance? | Yes. Removing the $5,000 cap lets City crews do more of the most basic function of government. |
| Could this reduce quality of roads and projects? | No. Codes and quality rules still apply. A larger pool of competitors can raise quality, not lower it. |
| Does Measure U itself create a new tax? | No. |
| How does this benefit the People? | Everyone benefits. Keep more money in town, use tax dollars more effectively, get better infrastructure, and increase local wages and more jobs. |
| Election date | November 3, 2026. |
Primary sources
Read Measure U yourself
Review the current Section 61, the proposed amendment, the official ballot question, and City election materials.
Read the official language