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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Election 2009

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News >  Spokane

Judge orders 2 initiatives to be blocked from ballot

A Spokane County judge stopped two controversial ballot measures from appearing on November’s ballot Friday, saying they fell outside the scope of the initiative power. Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno sided with a coalition of government and business interests, which argued that the initiatives attempted to create regulations and protections that were not within the city’s power to enact. They also said the initiatives would hurt local government and business.
News >  Spokane

Spokane OKS early citizen initiative review

The battle at the ballot box briefly entered City Hall on Monday night, as supporters and opponents of Envision Spokane’s Bill of Rights squabbled over changes to the initiative process. The changes, which dealt primarily with swapping out the legal review of the city attorney for one earlier in the process by the city’s hearing examiner, were passed 6-1, with Councilman Mike Fagan opposing.
News >  Spokane

Hearing set for controversial city initiatives

A Spokane County judge on Friday declined to stop two city initiatives from going to the ballot this fall – at least for now. Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno rejected a request for a preliminary injunction against the two measures, and instead set a hearing on the challenge for Aug. 23.
News >  Spokane

Initiative draws countersuit

Envision Spokane, a group that has failed twice at the ballot box with its far-reaching Community Bill of Rights, has countersued a coalition of business and government groups that sought last month to keep Envision’s initiative off the ballot with legal action. The countersuit filed Wednesday argues that the coalition is seeking to “mis-use the judicial process” and cannot show it would be injured by the initiative simply appearing on the ballot. The suit also claims that the coalition’s legal action was directly intended to suppress public involvement with the electoral process.
News >  Spokane

County commissioners join fight against ‘Bill of Rights’ initiatives

Spokane County commissioners voted Friday to challenge a pair of Spokane city initiatives that could change the way local business and government function. They join a coalition of economic development interests in seeking judicial review on the legality of the two initiatives called a Community Bill of Rights and a Voter Bill of Rights.
News >  Spokane

Spokane City Council wants initiatives sent to voters

Voters should have a say on two controversial citizens’ initiatives, the Spokane City Council decided Monday. The 4-3 vote opposing lawsuits to stop votes in November was a victory for the two groups who collected enough signatures to force their measures onto the ballot.
News >  Spokane

We’ll learn more if we let folks vote

As the city amasses legal rationalizations for denying citizens a vote, there has been a refrain from those who object to these pesky citizens’ initiatives. It runs something like this: No one wants to deny citizens a vote. No one relishes the burden of pre-empting democracy. It’s a rare, rare circumstance that brings us to this difficult point … BUT.
News >  Spokane

Proposed initiatives in Spokane may get fight

The city of Spokane may have grounds to challenge two proposed charter amendments and seek court orders to keep them off the ballot, lawyers have told the Spokane City Council. Groups supporting the initiatives say that would be “a direct subversion of the democratic process,” but the Spokane Home Builders Association is urging the city to go to court.
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