CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION _________________
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A RESOLUTION regarding a voter-proposed Initiative Measure concerning public participation in government, including creation of a publicly-financed election campaign program and regulation of campaign donations and lobbying; authorizing the City Clerk and the Executive Director of the Ethics and Elections Commission to take those actions necessary to enable the proposed Initiative to appear on the November 3, 2015 election ballot and the local voters' pamphlet; requesting the King County Elections' Director to place the proposed initiative on the November 3, 2015 election ballot; providing for the publication of such initiative; and repealing Resolution 31600.
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WHEREAS, proponents of reducing the influence of money in government; ensuring accountability; preventing corruption; and creating a program for public financing of elections have submitted to the Office of the City Clerk a petition bearing a sufficient number of signatures to qualify the proposed Initiative filed in Clerk File 319323 ("City of Seattle Initiative Measure No. 122") for placement on the November 3, 2015 election ballot; and
WHEREAS, Article IV of the City Charter specifies that it shall be the duty of the City Council to submit an initiative bearing a sufficient number of signatures to the voters of the City for their ratification or rejection; and
WHEREAS, RCW 42.17A.550 states that a local government must submit any proposal for public financing of local political campaigns to voters for their adoption and approval or rejection; and
WHEREAS, the City Council on July 13, 2015 adopted Resolution 31600 to place Initiative Measure No. 122 on the ballot; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 31600 contained some non-substantive errors, including incorrectly referring to the initiative, in the title of the resolution, as a Charter amendment; and
WHEREAS, that reference might confuse the public when the resolution is included in the local voters pamphlet; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The City Clerk is authorized and directed to take those actions necessary to place City of Seattle Initiative Measure No. 122 filed in Clerk File 319323, a copy of which is attached as attachment A, on the November 3, 2015 election ballot, including but not limited to publishing the proposed initiative measure as provided by the City Charter.
Section 2. The Executive Director of the Ethics and Elections Commission is authorized and requested to take those actions necessary to place information regarding City of Seattle Initiative Measure No. 122 in the November 3, 2015 voters' pamphlet.
Section 3. The Director of Elections of King County, Washington, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is requested to place City of Seattle Initiative Measure No. 122 on the November 3, 2015 election ballot, with the following ballot title approved by the Seattle City Attorney:
THE CITY OF SEATTLE
INITIATIVE MEASURE NUMBER 122
The City of Seattle Initiative Measure Number 122 concerns public participation in government, including publicly-financed election campaigns, and lobbying.
If enacted, the measure would limit election campaign contributions from entities receiving City contracts totaling $250,000 or more, or from persons spending $5,000 or more for lobbying; require 24-hour reporting of electronic contributions; require paid signature gatherer identification; limit lobbying by former City officials; create a voluntary program for public campaign financing through $100 vouchers issued to registered voters funded by ten years of additional property taxes, with $3,000,000 (approximately $0.0194/$1000 assessed value) collected in 2016.
Should this measure be enacted into law?
Yes . . . . . . . . . . .
No . . . . . . . . . . .
Those in favor shall vote “Yes;” those opposed shall mark their ballots “No.”
Section 4. Resolution 31600 is repealed.
Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2015, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day
of ______________________, 2015.
_________________________________
President ___________of the City Council
Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2015.
____________________________________
Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachment A: Initiative Measure No. 122