title
PROPOSED CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT (B)
A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Gainesville, Florida, calling a referendum election to be held at the regular City election on Tuesday, March 24, 2009; placing the proposed city charter amendment contained in the initiative petition of "Citizens for Good Public Policy" on the ballot; specifying the ballot title and summary for the referendum; and providing an immediate effective date.
recommendation
The City Commission discuss the ballot title and summary and adopt a resolution.
explanation
On August 18, 2008, the Supervisor of Elections certified that the requisite number of signatures had been collected to place a proposed Charter amendment contained in Petition 5.08, Civil Rights on the ballot. On October 2, 2008, the City Commission authorized this office to prepare a Resolution containing the ballot title and summary, and to submit the proposed amendment to a vote at the next regular City election to be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2009.
Florida Statute Section 101.161(1) provides that every measure put to a vote of the electorate must have a ballot summary with a maximum of 75 words and a title with a maximum of 15 words set out in a resolution. The ballot title and summary are included in Section 2 of the Resolution.
On November 6, 2008, the City Commission authorized this office to prepare an alternate ballot summary based on comments from citizens and the City Commission. The backup to this agenda item includes an alternate ballot summary that meets the applicable legal standards. In addition, the original ballot summary proposed to the City Commission on November 6, 2008 has been revised to include familial status as a classification protected by the Florida Civil Rights Act.