ORDINANCE __________

AN ORDINANCE submitting Initiative Measure No. 77 to the qualified electors of the City, at an election to be held on November 5, 2002.

WHEREAS, the petition signatures that caused Initiative No. 77 to qualify for introduction and consideration by the City Council were submitted to the City Clerk on August 7, 2002; and

WHEREAS, the City Clerk forwarded the petition signatures to King County Records and Elections for validation and determination of sufficiency; and

WHEREAS, King County Records and Elections found the petition to contain sufficient valid signatures and issued a Certificate of Sufficiency to the City Clerk on August 12, 2002; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the City Charter, Article IV, Section 1. B, the City Clerk presented the City Clerk's Report and Certificate of Sufficiency to the City Council at its regular meeting on August 12, 2002 in Clerk File 305171; and

WHEREAS, the City Council accepted the introduction of the Clerk File and referred it to the Full Council for deliberation; and

WHEREAS, the City is currently facing a difficult economic and business climate that makes the imposition of new taxes as required by Initiative No. 77 untimely; and

WHEREAS, the City now provides approximately One and a Half Million Dollars ($1,500,000) on an annual basis for childcare and early childhood education services from its voter-approved Families and Education Levy which will be considered for renewal by the voters in 2004 and may be the most appropriate vehicle for providing additional funding for childcare and early childhood education services. The planning process for this Levy will begin in 2003 and would provide the forum for public discussion and review of existing services provided, unmet demand for services, and decisions regarding most appropriate programs to fund given desired outcomes; and

WHEREAS, for the above stated reasons, the City Council has decided not to enact Initiative No. 77 and does not anticipate taking any further action regarding this initiative within forty-five (45) days of receiving the transmittal from the City Clerk and has decided not to propose and pass a different measure dealing with the same subject; and

WHEREAS, the City Council, will honor the citizen process and allow the people to determine at the next November election whether Initiative No. 77 should become law;

NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby requested to submit to the qualified electors of the City the initiative measure set forth below at the City election to be held in conjunction with the State general election on November 5, 2002.

The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify the initiative measure to the King County Director of Records and Elections in the following form:

Initiative Measure No. 77

Initiative Measure Number 77 concerns funding childcare and early learning through an espresso beverage tax.

This measure would fund qualifying pre-kindergarten programs, grants to qualifying families, and education-based compensation increases for childcare and early learning providers by imposing on businesses that prepare and sell espresso beverages in Seattle a tax in the amount of 10 cents on each such sale. The measure establishes an oversight committee and requires that tax revenues not replace existing funding for these services and that the City continue to fund these services at 2002 levels, adjusted for inflation.

Should this measure be enacted into law?

Yes......

No......

// Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon approval by the Mayor or, if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, then on the eleventh (11th) day after its presentation to the Mayor or, if vetoed by the Mayor, then immediately upon its passage over his veto.

Passed by the City Council the _____ day of ____________, 2002, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________, 2002.

_____________________________________

President _______ of the City Council

Approved by me this _____ day of _________________, 2002.

___________________________________________

Mayor

Filed by me this _____ day of ____________________, 2002.

___________________________________________

City Clerk

(Seal)

TR v1082002:

08/28/02

I-77 ballot ordinance.doc

(Ver. 3 )