Metropolitan King County Council 516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-1000 Toll Free: 800-325-6165 TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024 Fax: 206-296-0198 council@kingcounty.gov |
July 28, 2008 One more proposed King County Charter amendment placed on November ballotMeasure would raise signature threshold for citizen initiatives to amend the charter, and is accompanied by companion legislation to extend time for signature gathering
A proposed amendment to the King County Charter that would streamline the process for bringing a citizen initiative to amend the charter and raise the signature threshold was placed on the November ballot today by the Metropolitan King County Council. The Council also unanimously adopted a separate ordinance to extend the time period for gathering charter amendment initiative signatures to 120 days if the charter amendment is approved by voters this November.
“Of the 12 charter amendments proposed by the citizens who served on our Charter Review Commission, the Council has now advanced five of them to the ballot this year alone,” said Council Chair Julia Patterson. “The next step is for voters to decide if they want to make this change to our county ‘Constitution.”
The proposed charter amendment would increase the number of signatures needed to place a citizen initiative to amend the charter on the ballot, and eliminate the current requirement to hold two separate public votes on such measures.
Under the current charter, proposals to amend it may be placed on the ballot either by the King County Council or by voters approving a citizen initiative submitted with enough petition signatures. Such citizen initiatives now require the signatures of registered county voters equaling at least 10 percent of the number of votes cast in the most recent election for County Executive; based on the turnout in 2005, that number is 52,817. The proposed charter amendment would raise the signature threshold to 20 percent for charter amendment initiatives, but will stay at 10 percent for other initiatives.
The existing charter process requires two elections for enactment of citizen-initiated charter amendments. Voters must first be asked whether they wish to approve an ordinance placing a proposed charter amendment on the ballot. If that question passes, voters must then approve or reject the charter amendment itself at the next scheduled general election. The proposed amendment would eliminate the so-called “two-step” process and require only one public vote.
A companion ordinance also adopted by the Council today would amend the King County Code to extend the period for gathering signatures for citizen-initiated charter amendments to 120 days, up from the current 90. In 1969, after voters enacted the original charter, county code provisions were adopted to set the signature deadline for initiatives at 60 days; in 1998 the deadline in the code was extended to 90 days.
“Sometimes government is the least suited institution to bring about necessary reforms,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. “We must keep the initiative process open and accessible so everyday citizens can continue to have influence in local government. While I would have preferred 180 days to collect signatures, as is the case for Charter Amendments in Pierce County, I am pleased that the number of days allotted is at least moving in the right direction.”
“This amendment is a significant step toward streamlining the public process and making government more accessible to the people,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “Our 39-year-old charter has served King County well since it was adopted in 1969, but many circumstances have changed since then, such as the merger with Metro. It is important that the amendment process remain accessible to the people so that our government can continue to serve our changing needs, and I believe the extending the signature-gathering period meets those needs.”
The proposed charter amendment is one of 12 recommended to the Council by the King County Charter Review Commission on May 30. It is the sixth proposed charter amendment sent to the voters by the County Council this year. On July 14, Councilmembers placed five charter amendments on the November ballot relating to anti-discrimination, the structure of the Council’s regional committees, setting qualifications for some countywide offices, allowing additional time for the Council’s annual review of the Executive Proposed Budget, and creating an Economic Forecast Council and Office of Economic and Financial Analysis.
“This is the last of the six charter amendments that will be on the 2008 ballot,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “The next step will be up to the voters of King County.”
Members of the 2007-2008 King County Charter Review Commission held 55 meetings over more than a year in preparation of their final report and recommendations to the County Council. The King County Charter was adopted by voters in 1968. It is the foundation of County government and serves a role similar to that played by the U.S. Constitution.
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