(a) Whenever any ordinance or measure is to be submitted to the electors at any municipal election, the city clerk shall cause a ballot question and the full text of the ordinance or measure to be printed in the sample ballot. The city clerk shall refer the ordinance or measure to the city attorney for preparation of the ballot question. The ballot question may differ from any other title of the ordinance or measure, and shall express the purpose of the ordinance or measure.
(b) If the ordinance or measure exceeds fifty pages when printed or typed single-spaced with not less than 12-point type, the city clerk shall cause a summary of the full text of the ordinance or measure to be prepared and printed in the sample ballot. The city clerk shall refer the ordinance or measure to the city attorney who shall prepare a true and impartial summary of the full text of the ordinance or measure in such language that the summary shall neither be an argument, nor be likely to create prejudice, for or against the proposed measure.
(c) In the event the full text of the ordinance or measure is not printed on the ballot, nor in the voter information portion of the sample ballot, there shall be printed immediately below the summary, in no less than 10-point bold type, a legend substantially as follows:
The above statement is an impartial summary of the [ordinance or measure title]. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure, please call the Palo Alto City Clerk's Office at [insert telephone number] and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.
(Ord. 4434 § 2, 1997: Ord. 3748 § 1, 1987)