M E M O R A N D U M

KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH

144 N. Binkley

Soldotna, AK 99669

Phone: (907) 262-4441

To: Ron Drathman, Assembly President

Assembly members

From: Grace Merkes, Assembly member

Date: May 7, 1999

Subject: Ordinance 99-30,

Prohibiting referral of substantially the same propositions within two years

Many constituents have expressed concerns to me about the practice of repeatedly submitting virtually the same propositions to the voters each year. They believe this wastes taxpayers' money and discourages people from voting because of the perception that the election results will be reconsidered again the following year.

If enacted, this ordinance would stop the assembly from submitting substantially the same propositions to the voters within two years. Because general elections do not always fall exactly two years apart, it allows a proposition first included in a general election to be included in the second following general election, even if the second election is less than two years later. It also defines "substantially the same" to include questions covering the same subject matter, even if the questions differ in degree. For example, a proposition to increase an authorized mill levy is substantially the same as a previous one if it only differs by the amount of the proposed authorized mill levy. Thus, such a question could not be presented to the voters within two years of the first question.