Opinion ID: 1315995
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Standards and Safeguards

Text: As we recognized in RTD, a delegation of legislative power must contain sufficient standards and safeguards to protect against unnecessary and uncontrolled exercise of discretionary power. RTD, 830 P.2d at 948-49. We find that the charter amendment provides sufficient standards and safeguards to guide the arbitrator's decision. As noted above, the charter amendment requires the arbitrator to consider the following seven factors when issuing a decision: (1) the interests and welfare of the public and the financial ability of the City to bear the costs involved; (2) the lawful authority of the City; (3) stipulations of the parties; (4) comparison of the compensation, benefits, hours and other terms or conditions of employment of the members of the police department involved with other police department members performing similar services in public employment in comparable communities; (5) the cost of living; (6) any claims of failure of a party to bargain in good faith; and (7) other similar standards recognized in the resolution of interest disputes. By requiring the arbitrator to consider this comprehensive list of factors, the charter amendment provides the necessary standards we require for the exercise of legislative power. In addition, the charter amendment provides for adequate safeguards in the form of judicial review of the arbitrator's decision. The judicial review is limited to a consideration of the following three factors: (1) whether the award was procured by corruption, fraud, or other undue means; (2) whether the decision on any issue is arbitrary and capricious, i.e., there is no competent evidence in the record to support the decision; or (3) whether the decision on any issue was reached without considering the factors listed above. The charter amendment's judicial review provision provides appropriate safeguards for review of the arbitrator's decision. [12] In sum, we find that the charter amendment provides adequate standards to guide the arbitrator's decision and sufficient safeguards for review of the decision.