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<br />~ IV. WORK SESSION: THE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE'S PROPOSED CHANGES TO <br />THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PROCESSES <br /> <br />David Biedermann, Administrative Services Department, reviewed the Citizen <br />Involvement Committee's (CIC) recommended changes to the initiative and <br />referendum process. He noted that at the council's request, the CIC has <br />reviewed the proposed initiative/referendum code revisions and has made <br />several recommendations regarding these revisions. Included in these <br />recommendations are the following: <br /> <br />1.) Deletion of Section 2.964 concerning election procedures in the <br />ordinance. Mr. Biedermann said that while the CIC felt this section <br />was appropriate in that it reflects a change in the filing deadline, <br />nomination for election is not an initiative or referendum issue. <br />For this reason, it suggested that the filing deadline be changed by <br />a separate ordinance. <br /> <br />2.) In Section 2.964, addition of definitions for the terms "complete <br />petition" and "conflicting measure" to add clarification to these <br />specific aspects of the initiative/referendum process. <br /> <br />3.) In Section 2.973, addition of a statement on the petition which <br />signifies whether the petition circulator will or will not be paid <br />for the collection of signatures. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />4. ) <br /> <br />Addition of Section 2.976 (2) (c) to the ordinance requiring the City <br />Recorder to advise the person submitting the petition of the election <br />filing deadline for that petition to be included on the next <br />available election. <br /> <br />5.) In Section 2.972, modification of the number of signatures required <br />for the initiative, referendum, and charter amendment. The CIC <br />recommended that the initiative be changed from 12.5 percent to 6 <br />percent, the referendum from 8.5 percent to 4 percent, and the <br />charter amendment from 15 percent to 8 percent. Additionally, the <br />CIC recommended that the base upon which the percentage is calculated <br />be changed from total city electors registered at the time of <br />petition filing to total number of votes cast in the city for all <br />candidates for governor at the last election for governor for a <br />four-year term. <br /> <br />Mr. Biedermann noted that the CIC's recommended percentage changes are a <br />reflection of the numbers required by both the State and the County. <br /> <br />Karen Darling, CIC Chair, said that the CIC recommendations reflected input <br />from neighborhood leaders as well as interested citizens. The overall <br />reaction from respondents was a desire to make it less difficult to place an <br />initiative, referendum, or charter amendment on the ballot. They also hoped <br />the council would be instrumental in making the whole process easier for the <br />average citizen to understand. Ms. Darling noted that although the CIC did <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council <br /> <br />February 21, 1990 <br /> <br />Page 3 <br />