HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem C - Motions Relating to Voters' PamphletC
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.
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Production of a voters’ pamphlet is not a regular budget item and requires the expenditure of
contingency funds. Production costs, including mailing, for the voters’ pamphlets in 2004, 2005, and
2006 elections averaged between $20,000 and $25,000. Taking into account increased costs for postage
and labor, staff estimates that this pamphlet will cost approximately $25,000.
The time required for printing a pamphlet and preparing it for mailing are set by production schedules of
mailing services and commercial printers. Pamphlet content and deadlines for its preparation and
mailing are established by Eugene Code 2.993 through 2.997. To meet those deadlines, council action is
needed by August 15.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
1. The council may approve motions to produce and expend funds on a voters’ pamphlet and appoint
councilors to a proponent committee.
2. The council may determine that the environmental, economic and social impacts of adoption of the
city measure implementing a gas tax are not substantial enough to warrant the expense of
preparation and distribution of a voters’ pamphlet.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends approval of the motions to produce and pay for a voters’ pamphlet and
to appoint members of the proponent committee.
SUGGESTED MOTIONS
A. Move to direct the City Manager to publish and distribute a local voters’ pamphlet for the special
city election scheduled for November 6, 2007, on a measure concerning a motor vehicle fuel dealers’
tax.
B. Move to authorize the expenditure of funds from the General Fund contingency account that are
required to produce a voters’ pamphlet for the November 2007 special election, estimated to be
approximately $25,000.
C. Move to appoint Councilors _______________, _______________, and _______________ to the
voters’ pamphlet proponent committee for the ballot measure.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Mary Feldman , City Recorder
Telephone: 682-8353
Staff E-Mail: mary.h.feldman@ci.eugene.or.us
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