$5,000
Threshold set by the 1971 amendment
Section 61
Current law vs. Measure U
A $5,000 rule from 1971 should not control Porterville forever.
History of Section 61
The $5,000 threshold has not changed since 1971. That is about $41,000 in July 2026 buying power.
≈ $41,000
July 2026 buying power
| Date | Threshold | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1926 original Charter | $500 | Section 61 began with a competitive-bidding threshold of more than $500. |
| 1961 amendment | $2,500 | The threshold was raised to $2,500. |
| 1963 Charter publication | $2,500 | The 1963 Charter reflects the 1961 amendment. Its table of contents lists Section 61 as competitive bidding for work where the amount is in excess of $2,500. |
| 1971 amendment | $5,000 | The threshold was raised from $2,500 to $5,000. It has not been updated since. |
Based on the federal Consumer Price Index. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (1971 annual average and July 2026).
Current Charter vs. Measure U
Current Charter
A procurement rule written into the Charter
Porterville’s existing Charter generally requires covered expenditures exceeding $5,000 to be contracted and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after notice.
The existing Charter also contains procedures allowing the City Council, under specified circumstances and by a four-fifths (4/5) vote, to reject bids and determine that work can be performed more economically or satisfactorily by day labor or in the open market. A separate 4/5 vote can authorize certain emergency expenditures.
The basic framework is embedded directly in the City Charter.
Measure U
Local authority to determine how work is performed
Measure U would replace the existing Section 61 framework. The proposed language would authorize Porterville to:
- Perform improvement, replacement, repair, maintenance, and construction work using City employees.
- Contract with more competitive local contractors instead of expensive non-local ones.
- Contract with other public agencies.
- Establish local standards and procedures governing purchasing and contracting.
See the difference in the official wording
“When a required expenditure exceeds five thousand dollars, it shall be contracted for and let to the lowest responsible bidder after notice.”
Source: Porterville City Charter, Section 61, as published in the City’s May 2, 2025 Charter Review Committee agenda packet (AmLegal export).
“Shall the City Charter be amended to authorize the City Council to determine whether public works, maintenance, repair, improvement, and construction activities are performed by City forces, through contracts, or through agreements with other public agencies, and to authorize the City to establish purchasing and contracting procedures?”
Source: official ballot question, City of Porterville November 3, 2026 ballot measure information.