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If the Council desires extensive analysis regarding the effects of the initiative that cannot <br />reasonably be prepared in 12 business days, the Council may request that the Elections <br />Code report be presented at its regularly scheduled August 16th meeting. At that August <br />16th meeting, Council can decide whether to adopt the initiative or place it on the ballot <br />for a special election in spring 2017. As another option, to meet the statutory <br />requirement to act within 10 days of presentation of the report, the Council could also call <br />a special meeting by Friday August 26th to make that decision to adopt or place the <br />initiative on a spring 2017 ballot. If placed on a spring 2017 special election ballot, <br />estimated costs to translate, print and hold a standalone all vote -by -mail special election <br />is estimated between $312,000 and $394,000. Similarly, this cost would be in addition to <br />the $22,000 estimated cost for signature verification. <br />Such an Elections Code §9212 report was requested and prepared for the Save <br />Pleasanton's Hills & Housing Cap initiative (Measure PP) in November 2008. <br />As an alternative to have information available, but still be able to place the initiative on <br />the November 2016 ballot, Council may: (1) take action on July 19th to place the initiative <br />on the November ballot; and (2) request an informational report [not an Elections Code <br />report] to address the Zone with club retail, as well as without club retail, as was <br />discussed at the Council's joint workshop in April. Such an informational report could <br />cover topics as directed by Council, and be presented for information at Council's August <br />16th meeting or another date. <br />Adopt or Submit Initiative to Voters. <br />It has been the City's practice to submit qualified initiatives (and referendums) to the <br />voters. Staff recommends following this practice for the current initiative after a decision <br />is made about whether to ask for an Elections Code report on the effects of the <br />initiative. If such an Elections Code report is requested, no further election - related <br />action is needed until the Elections Code report is returned to the Council in August. <br />If such an Elections Code report is not requested, then staff recommends that the <br />Council submit the initiative to the voters by adopting a resolution to place the initiative <br />on the November 8, 2016 General Election ballot (Attachment 3). The Council must <br />also take the following actions: <br />A. Establish the ballot question; <br />B. Determine whether the City Attomey writes an impartial analysis; <br />C. Establish due dates for submittal of ballot arguments and rebuttals; and <br />D. Determine if the City Council will write an argument opposing the initiative. <br />A. Ballot Question. A ballot question for the initiative is limited to 75 words and "shall be <br />a condensed version of the ballot title and summary." (See Elections Code § §9051, <br />10403, 13119 and 13247.) The ballot title and summary (Attachment 4) is provided for <br />your reference, and topics not addressed in the ballot title and summary should not be <br />included in the ballot question. Sample ballot questions in the format required by the <br />Elections Code are set forth in Attachment 5. <br />4 <br />