Title
An Ordinance Amending Section 108 (Ordinance Approval and Adoption; Disapproval or Veto) of Part 1 (Elective Officers) of Article 2 (Officers of the City) of Chapter 1 (Administration, Personnel and Finance) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, as amended, Pertaining to City Council Ballot Referrals by Ordinance
Presenter:
Don Knight, City Councilmember
Tom Strand, City Councilmember
Dave Geislinger, City Councilmember
Body
Summary:
For several years, City Councilmembers have conducted meetings with staff to identify necessary "scrubs" to the City Code. This proposed amendment to City Code section 1.2.108 would require all ballot referrals by City Council be accomplished through ordinance. Currently, several types of ballot issues are referred by resolution, which provides no ability for the Mayor to veto those particular questions. Additionally, this ordinance would amend this Code section to eliminate the Mayor's restriction from vetoing initiated ordinances or initiated Charter amendments.
Background:
City Code section 1.2.108 provides for the basic structure for approval, adoption, disapproval and veto authority over ordinances. The proposed amendment to City Code section 1.2.108(A) would require that City Council refer all ballot measures through adoption of an ordinance and would result in Mayoral authority to veto ballot measures.
The City Councilmembers working with City staff to "scrub" the City Code identified that a ballot referral through a resolution by Council would provide the Mayor with no opportunity to veto a question. The result would be that, depending on the question, there could be a significant impact on the executive branch's ability to perform its functions if passed by the voters. By requiring that all ballot questions be referred by ordinance, the Mayor would have the opportunity to veto the ordinance and underlying question. The City Councilmembers studying the issue believe that the proposed ...
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