Item C - Motions Relating to Voters' PamphletC

Home Browse Search

ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Action: Approval of Motions Relating to Production of a Voters’ Pamphlet for the November 6, 2007, Special Election Meeting Date: August 15, 2007 Agenda Item Number: C Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Mary Feldman www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-8353 ISSUE STATEMENT The purpose of this item is to authorize and initiate the production of a voters’ pamphlet for the Special Election on November 6, 2007. BACKGROUND On May 29, the City Council passed and on May 31, 2007, the Mayor approved, Ordinance No. 20384 increasing the motor vehicle fuel tax imposed on dealers to $ .08 per gallon and repealing Section 3 of Ordinance No. 20337 which would sunset the collection of $ .02 of the existing $ .05 per gallon Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax in February 2008. The ordinance had an effective date of July 1, 2007. That ordinance was the subject of a prospective referendum petition filed June 1 and completed June 28. After signature verification was completed by Lane County Elections and the City Recorder informed petitioners that the number of valid signatures of registered Eugene voters was less than the minimum number required, the City’s method of calculating the number of signatures required to refer the ordinance to an election was challenged by the chief petitioners in Circuit Court. On July 27, the Circuit Court found in favor of the petitioners and ordered that the referendum petition be accepted and certified to the ballot. On August 8, the council decided not to appeal that decision, and indicated its intent was to repeal Ordinance No. 20384 and to refer an alternative measure to the voters in a November 2007 election. RELATED CITY POLICIES EC 2.993 (2) requires the city manager to publish and distribute a local voters’ pamphlet for elections in which a city measure is on the ballot as long as the action to place it on the ballot occurs at least 55 days before the election date and the impacts of adoption of the measure are sufficient to warrant the expense of its production. EC 2.996 (1)(b) establishes that for city council-referred measures, the argument in favor and the rebuttal to the opposition argument are to be prepared by one or more of the councilors who voted in favor of the measure. F:\CMO\2007 Council Agendas\M070815\S080815C.doc