Letter: S. Tahoe impeding rights of citizens

To the community:

In the Nov. 27 edition of the Lake Tahoe News, it was reported that South Lake Tahoe’s City Attorney Tom Watson has “rejected” a vote initiative presented to him to provide a title and summary of the initiative, as provided by law.

Steve Kubby

I believe this is an outrageous and illegal effort by the city attorney to suppress the democratic process. The city attorney does not have the legal option of “rejecting” a voter initiative by the people. His objections can only be raised in a court challenge, after the initiative passes. Instead he has refused to perform his lawful duty, a direct and serious violation of the California Election Code which states: “Section 9203 (a) Any person who is interested in any proposed measure shall file a copy of the proposed measure with the elections official with a request that a ballot title and summary be prepared. This request shall be accompanied by the address of the person proposing the measure. The elections official shall immediately transmit a copy of the proposed measure to the city attorney. Within 15 days after the proposed measure is filed, the city attorney shall provide and return to the city elections official a ballot title for and summary of the proposed measure. The ballot title may differ from any other title of the proposed measure and shall express in 500 words or less the purpose of the proposed measure. In providing the ballot title, the city attorney shall give a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the proposed measure in such language that the ballot title shall neither be an argument, nor be likely to create prejudice, for or against the proposed measure.”

Violations of the state Election Code are a serious matter and I plan to file a criminal complaint with the secretary of state unless it is immediately corrected and a title and summary is issued to the paid parking foes.

Steve Kubby, South Lake Tahoe