The City’s Charter requires the City Attorney to review the legality and form of ballot questions to amend the City’s Charter, render a public opinion regarding these topics, and publish the opinion.

This year’s election includes several ballot questions: whether to impose a High-End Excise Tax for Affordable Housing, whether to amend the Charter to specify terms for future Charter Commissions, whether to amend the Charter to decrease the number of petition signatures needed for a referendum or initiative; and whether to amend the Charter to calculate percentages of voters needed for referendum, initiative, and recall using the number of voters in municipal elections rather than the number of voters for mayor. 

City Attorney Erin McSherry’s conclusion is that the proposed tax and Charter amendments conform with the law. Her written opinions are published here.