Proposition 13 would amend and delete various items,
gender words, such as he, she, him, her, "Comptroller", and
"Treasurer" throughout the City Charter. For reasons not to delete these,
please see statements against Propositions 1, 2 and 4.
The city council is nit picking the city charter to make in
consequential changes but when it comes to an issue as important
as following their own city charter initiative laws, they have failed
to comply. An example of this is the "Back to Basics" Initiative 45
that was certified and presented to the city council August 24, 1998.
When the city council failed to act on I-45 within forty-five
days from the date it was introduced to them, the city charter
mandates that it must go before the voters at the next regularly
scheduled election, which would be November 2, 1999. This has not
been done. A lawsuit was filed (No. 99-2-21036-1 SEA) in King
County Superior Court on September 10, 1999 against the Seattle
City Council for failing to comply with their own city charter
initiative laws.
The Seattle City Charter is very clear on initiative requirements.
Page C-9 section C mandates "… if the City Council…shall
during forty-five (45) days after receipt thereof have failed to take
final action thereon…[the initiative] shall be taken in charge by the
city comptroller and the city council shall order the measure
submitted to the qualified electors for approval or rejection at the
next regularly scheduled election".
Under Article IV Legislative Department Section 1B Initiative
and Referendum; how exercised: "Completion of petition,
consideration in council": "The first power of reserved by the people is the
initiative. It may be exercised on petition of a number of
registered voters equal to not less than ten (10) percent of the total
number of votes cast for the office of mayor at the last preceding
municipal elections, proposing and asking for the enactment as an
ordinance of a bill or measure, the full text of which shall be included in
the petition…".
Article IV Section 1 provides "…the power to propose for
themselves any ordinance dealing with any matter within realm of
local affairs or municipal business and to enact or reject the same
at the polls, independent of the mayor and city council, is also
reserved by the people of Seattle".
The city council must comply with their city charter initiative
laws regardless of whether they agree or disagree with an initiative
such as I-45. The initiative is the first power of the people and is
matter of great importance. Changing terms such as he, she is not.
Vote No on Proposition 13 on November 2, 1999.