Albany Municipal Code Ch. I Introductory

The Municipal Corporation, now existing and known as the City of Albany shall remain and continue to be a body politic and corporate as at present, in name, in fact, and in law.

The boundaries of said City shall be the same as now established, with power and authority to change the same as provided by law.

Said City, by and through its Council and other officials, shall have and may exercise all powers necessary or appropriate to a municipal corporation and the general welfare of its inhabitants, which are not prohibited by the Constitution, and which it would be competent for this Charter to set forth particularly or specifically, including all powers now or hereafter granted to cities of the sixth class and the specification herein of any particular powers shall not be held to be exclusive or any limitation of this general grant of powers.

Without limiting in any manner the foregoing powers expressed in Section 1.03, and any authority which is enjoyed by a Charter city in the State of California, each of the powers, rights, and responsibilities described in this Charter is hereby declared to be a municipal affair, the performance of which is unique to the benefit and welfare of the citizens of the City of Albany. The electorate of the City of Albany is sincerely committed to the belief that local government has the closest affinity to the people governed, and firm in the conviction that the economic and physical independence of our local government will promote the health, safety, and welfare of all the citizens of this City of Albany. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)

The City of Albany shall have the power to establish standards, procedures, rules, or regulations related to any public financing, including but not limited to the formation of assessment districts, benefit districts, maintenance and sewer agreements. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)

The City of Albany shall have the power to engage in any enterprise deemed necessary to produce revenues for the general fund or any other fund established by the City Council to promote a public purpose. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)

Any revenues raised and collected by the City of Albany shall not be subject to subtraction, retention, attachment, withdrawal or any other form of involuntary reduction by any other level of government. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)

No person, whether elected or appointed, acting on behalf of the City of Albany, shall be required to perform any function which is mandated by any other level of government, unless and until funds sufficient for the performance of such function are provided by said mandating authority and such functions are approved by the appropriate administrative or legislative authorization with the City of Albany. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)

The language contained in this Charter is intended to be permissive rather than exclusive or limiting and shall be liberally and broadly construed in favor of the exercise by the City of Albany of its powers to govern with respect to any matter which is a municipal affair. (Added, ratified, November 8, 1994; amended, ratified November 8, 2016)