CC Minutes - 03/10/08 Public Hearing

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Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to amend proposed subsection (2) of sec- tion 2.993 to read as follows: “The City Manager shall publish and distribute a local voters pam- phlet for each election in which a City measure is on the ballot.” and to amend the proposed section 2.997 to delete the language: “Unless the council has determined that a voters pamphlet is not war- ranted under section 2.993(2) of this code,” and to substitute capital “N” for the lower case “n” be- ginning the word “no” following the deleted language. Councilor Bettman stated that the motion would require a voters pamphlet and removed the discretion to decide not to have one. City Recorder Mary Feldman clarified that the motion would require a voters pamphlet whenever there was a City measure on the ballot. Roll call vote; the vote on the motion was a 3:3 tie; councilors Bettman, Ortiz and Zelenka voting yes, and councilors Pryor, Clark and Poling voting no. The Mayor cast a vote in support of the mo- tion and it passed on a final vote of 4:3. Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to insert the following subsection (4) into proposed section 2.993, after subsection (3): “If a candidate for /City office wishes to publish a statement in the City voters pamphlet for an election at which no City measure is submitted for a vote, the City Manager shall publish a voters pamphlet containing candidate statements submitted pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. Candidate statements to be published pursuant to this subsection shall be submitted to the City Recorder not less than 70 days prior to the date of the elec- tion for which the voters pamphlet is published. If the City Recorder does not receive a candidate th statement by the 70 day prior to the election, the City Manager shall not publish a voters pamphlet pursuant to this subsection”; and to delete the language “subsection (3) of” from subsection 2.993(5), and to amend the language of the proposed subsection (3) of section 2.996 to read: “Statements from candidates for City offices, other than those statements submitted pursuant to sub- section 2.993(4), shall be submitted not less than 56 days prior to the date of an election”; and to amend subsection (c) of section 2.997 to read: “For voters pamphlets containing only statements from candidates for City Council or Eugene Water & Electric Board positions, the wards which those candidates would represent if elected.” Councilor Bettman stated that her intent was to require the City to publish a voters pamphlet if a qualifying candidate wished to include a candidate statement, even if no City measure was on the ballot. Ms. Feldman clarified that the amendment would apply to candidates for EWEB and the school board because City office candidates could always participate in the State’s voters pamphlet. She said there were budget implications to the motion. Councilor Ortiz expressed concern with the financial impact of requiring a voters pamphlet. Councilor Clark said he liked the legislative intent, but was concerned about unintended consequences and the lack of advance information about the numerous amendments. Councilor Zelenka asked how the cost of a voters pamphlet was currently paid. Ms. Feldman replied that if the City published a voters pamphlet in which EWEB candidates were included, each candidate could opt to participate and the cost was $100 per person, which did not fully cover the cost of the voters pamphlet. She calculated the cost of a MINUTES—Eugene City Council March 10, 2008 Page 7 Public Hearing