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argument that was drafted by another source. It becomes a priority list based on the Elections <br />Code. <br />Mayor Hosterman opened the item for public comment. <br />Kay Ayala submitted ballot question language for the sole purpose to make it less confusing to <br />the public as she was concerned due to the developer-friendly (competing) initiative supported <br />by three members of the Council. She also expressed concern with the Council addressing her <br />ballot question first and the competing ballot question second. She supported Option 1 modified <br />read, "Shall the Save Pleasanton Hills and Housing Cap Citizens' Initiative be adopted?" She <br />questioned why the Council was doing this when people could simply vote no on the citizen's <br />initiative. <br />Allen Roberts said he supported Ms. Ayala's recommendation for Option 1, and suggested <br />Option 1 read, "Shall the Citizens' Save Pleasanton Hills and Housing Cap Initiative be <br />adopted"? <br />Steve Brozosky suggested that the California Elections Code does not give the authority to the <br />Council to draft the question that goes on the ballot; the Code is silent on it. For State Initiatives <br />the Attorney General is required to set the ballot question. He did not believe it was right for the <br />Council to establish the question, especially since it has decided to put a competing measure on <br />the ballot against the citizen's initiative. If the Council will have the opportunity to name their <br />own initiative, the citizens should have the same opportunity. Also, the staff report is confusing <br />in that it states the City Council actually writes ballot arguments for this initiative, but in Section <br />8292A specifies the proponents get to actually write the statements in favor of the initiative, and <br />he would welcome the Councilmember proponents of the citizen's initiative to join and help <br />them. <br />Mary Roberts addressed the Council concerning the Mayor's quote in the July 11`h issue of the <br />Valley Times. <br />Karla Brown read into the record an Editorial that appeared in the July 3" issue of the Valley <br />Times. <br />Scott Raty, representing the Chamber of Commerce, offered a letter to the Council for <br />consideration regarding the Hills and Housing Cap Initiative and the Council's own proposed <br />measure and read it into the record. He commended the Council for recognizing unintended <br />short comings that often accompany initiatives and for demonstrating leadership in offering an <br />alternative measure. He commended the Council for including a transparent and open process, <br />and recommended Option 2, recommended slightly different wording of Option 3 as follows: <br />Pleasanton Ridgelines Preservation and Growth Control Measure, they recommend minor <br />modifications to Option 4 on page 3; "Shall the Pleasanton Ridgelines Preservation and Growth <br />Control Measure be Adopted to Preserve Views of Scenic Hillsides and Ridges surrounding <br />Pleasanton and affirm policies that protect hillsides and define housing units while respecting <br />the Voter-Approved Housing Cap?" <br />Regarding the question raised by Ms. Ayala regarding clarification between a citizen's <br />sponsored versus a Council-sponsored initiative, he would look for clarification because <br />Initiatives are generally the result of the petition process and measures are generally the result <br />of the legislative bodies initiating something and it may be as simple as identifying the two. He <br />said they will be planning to promote a document called Community Vision that has 45 <br />City Council Minutes 5 July 15, 2008 <br />