Definitions

​Share this page​

​​Request for Council Action (RCA) A document used to place an item on a City Council Formal Agenda for action. Following meetings, this document also reflects the action taken, meeting date and item number as well as referencing related documents.

Ordinance A legal document that makes, amends, or repeals substantive City Law. Ordinance numbers prefaced with a ‘G’ (general) make a change to the City Code. Numbers prefaced with an ‘S’ (special) are for one-time actions.

(Ordinances will always have an accompanying RCA, which can also be found in the Public Records Web site)

Resolution A formal, long-standing expression of intent or public policy of the City of Phoenix .

(Resolutions will always have an accompanying RCA, which can also be found in the Public Records Web site)

City Council Reports (CCR) A written report providing information to the City Council. CCRs may provide backup to Formal, Policy, Consent or City Council Subcommittee agenda items, respond to citizen or Council inquiries, or provide general information.

Minutes A written synopsis detailing the comments made and action taken at a public meeting

(Types of meetings to search include City Council Formal, Recessed, Policy and Subcommittee, and Boards and Commissions.)

City Council Packet A compilation of Agendas and City Council Reports in one grouping. The packet generally consists of:

• The Policy Agenda and its related CCRs
• The Consent Agenda and its related CCRs
• The Formal Agenda
• Backup CCRs for various Formal Agenda items
• General Information CCRs

With the exception of the Formal Agenda, the packet is posted weekly on the City’s Web site.

City Charter The document that establishes the form of Government for the City of Phoenix . This includes provisions for our Council-Manager form of government, legislative authority of the Mayor and Council, general elections provisions, finance provisions, and several other areas outlining the governing of Phoenix . The Charter can only be amended, added to, or repealed by a majority of the voters. The City Charter is available on-line .

City Code The listing of General Ordinances (laws) adopted by the City Council since the creation of the City of Phoenix . The City Code is available on-line.

Consent Agenda Non-controversial items prepared by the Mayor and presented to the City Council for approval. The consent agenda is not a separate meeting, rather the items are presented as one item, usually on the Policy agenda. In the event a Policy meeting is cancelled, this listing is occasionally placed as an item on the Formal agenda.

Contract/Agreement A legal arrangement with the City regarding a particular task or action. Additional legal arrangements are Memorandums of Understanding, leases, and Intergovernmental agreements. The identifying numbers for these types of documents are issued by the City Clerk Department.

Zoning/Recessed MeetingA public meeting held at 5:00 p.m. by the full City Council usually once or twice per month following the Formal meeting where the Council takes official action on planning/zoning matters. The reference to “Recessed” meeting relates to Council meeting in Formal session, “recessing” the meeting, and subsequently reconvening at 5:00 p.m. to hear zoning matters. A separate agenda is prepared for this meeting and is available for viewing online. Meetings are held according to a Council-adopted calendar.

Campaign Finance ReportReports of contributions received and expenditures made by registered political committees. May include No Activity Statements.

These reports are filed periodically according to a schedule that is triggered by an election. If, during a campaign finance reporting period, the committee has received no contributions and made no expenditures, the committee may file a No Activity Statement instead of the Campaign Finance Report. Candidate Campaign Committees may file an Annual No Activity Statement in January of an Election Year, if qualified, and may not be required to file periodic reports.

Political Committee Registration DocumentsGenerally may include: Statements of Organization, $500 Threshold Exemption Statements, or Termination Statements.

A Statement of Organization or $500 Threshold Exemption Statement registers a political committee with the City. Once a Statement of Organization has been filed, the committee is required to file scheduled campaign finance reports. Once a Termination Statement has been filed, the political committee is no longer required to file reports with the City.

ResultsThis a brief listing of the results of any public meetings conducted in compliance with the State Open Meeting Law during the last year. For full detail of what occurred at these meetings, please refer to the minutes (synopsis) also available through this site.

Organizations Making Independent ExpendituresRegistration document and notifications of expenditures by corporations, limited liability companies or labor organizations to support or oppose one or more candidates.

Organizations making independent expenditures must file a registration document providing the name and contact information for the person authorized to make independent expenditures for the organization.

These organizations must file a notice with the City Clerk each time they spend $1,000 or more in support of or opposition to one or more candidates for elected office. There is no limit on the amount that the organization may spend.

Election Funding Disclosure Report (Dark Money)This report must be filed by any person, association of persons or entity, other than a registered candidate committee or political action committee, that makes an expenditure for the purpose of influencing the result of a local City of Phoenix Election totaling $1,000 or more within an election cycle or totaling $10,000 or more, made within 16 days prior to an election.​