COMPLETE TEXT OF INITIATIVE MEASURE NO. 86

WHEREAS, a high school diploma is no longer sufficient to obtain a living-wage job in the Puget Sound region; and,

WHEREAS, a de facto "economic draft" compels many low and middleincome students to consider joining the military in order to obtain money for college or to get job or technical training; and,

WHEREAS, recent military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have been carried out in violation of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Charter of the United Nations; and,

WHEREAS, over 2,200 American soldiers have died and more than 16,000 have been injured physically and psychologically in Iraq; and,

WHEREAS, more than 100,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. invasion and occupation; and,

WHEREAS, Arabs and Muslims have been demonized to provide justification for the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the wrongful deportations of US residents and the operation of illegal US detention centers like Guantanamo Bay that violate international human rights law; and,

WHEREAS, while the military bars gays and lesbians from serving openly, school districts, colleges and universities are required to host military recruiters in order to receive federal funds, thus violating their own legal policies against such discrimination and,

WHEREAS, the incidence of sexual and racial harassment and abuse is unusually high in the military; and,

WHEREAS, Seattle taxpayers have had to pay $705 million to the war in Iraq while the Seattle School Board reports a $12 million deficit for their 2005-2006 budget; and,

WHEREAS, the people of Seattle value our youth as our most precious resource; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

A new section 14.14 of the Seattle Municipal Code is added to read as follows: SMC 14.14 College Not Combat Ordinance

A. The City of Seattle shall discourage the use of public facilities including schools, colleges, universities and parks, for the purpose of recruiting young people into the armed forces. Furthermore, the Seattle City Government shall investigate, advocate for, and assist in implementing means of assisting high school graduates in continuing their education without feeling pressured to join the military in order to obtain tuition. Such means shall include the possibility of extending free, public education for two years beyond high school, including community college and vocational/technical programs.

B. On or before March 1, 2007, the President of the City Council shall appoint a five (5) member College Not Combat Special Committee to assess and report on the effects of this ordinance. The Special Committee shall consist of two (2) members of the City Council and three (3) citizen members. The President of the City Council shall appoint members to vacancies on the College Not Combat Special Committee as necessary.

C. The College Not Combat Special Committee shall:

1. Elect a chairperson and meet at least monthly or more frequently as necessary, and adopt such rules of procedure as are necessary to accomplish its purpose.

2. By December 1, 2007, submit a comprehensive written report with recommendations to the City Council that will include, but not be limited to, information concerning how the City of Seattle can cooperate with State and local educational institutions to extend free, public education for two years beyond high school, including community college and vocational/technical programs. The report shall also include information as to whether the City of Seattle is expending any financial resources, or is in any other way supporting, military recruitment on public property, and how such recruitment can be legally curtailed.

Severability of provisions

If any provision of this ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance or the application of the terms and provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

COLLEGE NOT COMBAT COALITION 1814 12th Ave. #3, Seattle, WA 98122 (206)853-5866 CNCSeattle@google.com