Yakima City Charter Amendment, Proposition 2 (August 2011)

A Yakima City Charter Amendment measure was on the August 16, 2011 ballot in the city of Yakima which is in Yakima County.

This measure was approved

• YES 5,152 (54.21%) a
• NO 4,351 (45.79%)

This measure sought to make several changes to the city charter including making changes that would make provisions to conform to state laws including initiatives, purchasing items, taxing an franchising.

The change to the initiative process would make it so that more signatures would be needed in order to have a petition approved by the city. City officials note that conforming to state laws would correct outdated language but others state that it will just make it harder for residents to practice their democratic right of initiative. The new threshold for signature requirement would be 15 percent of the votes cast in the most recent general election. At the current rate, residents need only 500 valid signatures, but under the new law, 3,600 valid signatures would be needed.

Text of measure

The question on the ballot:

Adoption of an amended Charter of the City of Yakima. Proposition No. 2 concerns an amendment of the City of Yakima Charter. This measure amends Charter Articles l, ll, lll, lV, Vl, Vll, Vlll, lX, X, Xl, Xll, Xlll, XlV, and XVl, conforming to state law provisions regarding elections and compensation of elected officials, initiative and referendum, purchase of supplies, material, equipment and services, limitation of taxation, appointment of advisory boards, claims for damages, granting of franchises; repeal of Article XV pertaining to City Emergency Hospital; making ancillary and corrective amendments throughout the Charter. Should this proposition be approved?

Additional reading

• Yakima Herald, "Propositions in Yakima - Vote no on 1 and yes on 2," August 13, 2011 (dead link)