I would like to call to order the city council study session of July 15th, 2025.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell, absent Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Hines.

Absent.

Councilmember Rumba here.

Councilmember Sidalgay.

Here.

Councilmember Scott.

Here.

Councilmember Walker.

Absent Mayor Woodards.

Here.

The study session material sent to you at 1101.

Before we move on, and I can't figure it out.

I apologize.

My computer here is has sound to it.

I might have to flip the keyboard out.

Oh if I do that, that's why I couldn't.

Okay, oh, here we go.

Okay.

All right.

Sorry, there was this echo back at the table, everyone.

All right.

So our first agenda item today is initiative measure number two review.

And I'm going to call on interim city manager Young Kim and City Attorney.

Um Chris Botcha to begin the presentation.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of council, deputy mayor.

Um today we're here to discuss uh and also provide you with some information for the recently um certified and approved signatures that were uh submitted with initiative two.

Um and I'm gonna turn it over to the city attorney and then uh for some close out uh remarks after his presentation.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Mr.

City Manager Chris Botcha, City Attorney.

Um what I'd like to do is give an overview of the city charter process for submittal of initiative petitions, and then we'll talk a little bit about the timeline for the submission of this particular initiative, and then we'll talk about some of the material terms and conditions uh that are initiative two.

Um so unless there are any questions, I'll begin the conversation about the city charter.

Um section 2.19 of the Tacoma City Charter is the section that provides for the power of the people to provide legislation through an initiative process.

Uh I'll remind the council that the initiative process is not set forth in the state constitution, and while there is a constitutional provision for initiatives, it has to do only with statewide initiatives, not local ballot measures.

There is no state law requirement for local governments to have an initiative and referendum process.

Uh that's up to the elected officials to determine if they would adopt an initiative and referendum process or to the voters to approve that process through a charter amendment for those jurisdictions that have a charter.

And so in this case, the Tacoma City Charter has since um uh at least since 1953 when the new charter was adopted, and um I think we've had initiative and referendum provisions in the city charter going back to the turn of this last century.

Uh but section 2.19 is the sole authority and process and parameters around which the uh citizens of this community have the right to, or the residents of this community have the right to uh file an initiative petition.

Umce the initiative petition is filed, the charter provides that the city clerk within a day must forward that petition to the city attorney's office for the city attorney's review, and the city attorney's review is to be completed within 10 working days, not calendar days but working days, uh, and the review is to determine whether or not the petition meets the statutory and charter requirements as to form.

Um the review is not for the purpose of determining the validity of the petition or uh to opine on whether it's a good idea or a bad idea, is just to determine if the form of the petition is proper.

Um and once that determination is made, uh that gets transmitted back to the city clerk.

The city clerk then forwards to the petitioners, the uh ballot title uh because the city attorney must prepare a ballot title that's required in the charter as well and in state law.

And that's forwarded to the petition petitioners.

And there is a 10-day appeal period in which anyone can appeal the ballot title for sufficiency.

That's a provision in state law and also in our city charter.

If no appeal is filed in 10 days, then the petitioners can begin gathering signatures.

And there is a time frame in the city charter within which the signatures must be gathered.

It's six months or 180 days.

And once they are signatures are filed with the city clerk, the city clerk forwards the signatures to the county auditor for verification.

Once the verification has been completed by the county to determine if they are registered voters within the city, then the city clerk must validate the petition.

And if the and if the petition is validated by the city clerk, meaning that there are enough signatures to meet that 10% requirement, then it gets transmitted to the city council.

And the city council's job is to make a determination as to whether or not it will simply enact the proposed ordinance without modifications.

So it must be enacted as it was presented to the voters for signature or the city council can reject the initiative.

And by reject, that simply means the council chooses not to adopt it directly as legislation of the city.

And if it's rejected in that manner, then it must be by virtue of the provisions in the charter, must be forwarded to the county to be placed on the ballot.

So the county auditor's office.