Ordinances passed as emergency measures for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, or safety and providing for the refinancing of bonds, notes or other securities of the City shall not be subject to referendum. Otherwise, emergency measures shall be subject to referendum in like manner as other ordinances, except that they shall go into effect at the time indicated in the ordinances. If, when submitted to a vote of the electors of the City, an emergency measure be not approved by a majority of those voting thereon, it shall be considered repealed as regards any further action thereunder; but the measure so repealed shall be deemed sufficient authority for payment in accordance with the ordinance, of any expense incurred previous to the referendum vote thereon.
(Effective November 4, 2008)
In case a petition be filed requiring that a measure passed by the Council providing for an expenditure of money, a bond issue, or a public improvement be submitted to vote of the electors of the City all steps preliminary to such actual expenditure, actual issuance of bonds, or actual execution of a contract for such improvement, may be taken prior to the election.
(Effective November 8, 1994)
Ordinances, or parts thereof, submitted to vote of the electors in accordance with the initiative and referendum provisions of this Charter shall be submitted by ballot title. There shall appear upon the official ballot a ballot title, which may be distinct from the legal title of the proposed or referred ordinances, and which shall be a clear, concise statement, without argument or prejudice, descriptive of the substance of the ordinance, or part thereof. The ballot title shall be prepared by the committee of petitioners if for an initiated ordinance, and in all other cases by the Director of Law. The ballots used in voting upon the ordinance, or part thereof, shall have below the ballot title thereof the two following propositions, one above the other, in the order indicated: “For the ordinance” and “Against the ordinance.” The elector of the City shall record the elector’s vote for or against the ordinance or part of an ordinance, if part only of an ordinance is submitted in the manner prescribed by general law. Any number of ordinances or parts thereof, may be voted upon at the same election and may be submitted on the same ballot, but the ballot used for voting thereon shall be for that purpose only. If a majority of the electors of the City voting on any ordinance, submitted in accordance with the initiative provisions of this Charter, shall vote in favor thereof, it shall thereupon become an ordinance of the City. If an ordinance or part of an ordinance, submitted in accordance with the referendum provisions of this Charter, be not approved by a majority of those voting thereon, it shall be deemed repealed.
(Effective November 4, 2008)