Eureka residents James Decker, Kimberly Starr and Don Swall filed a Notice of Intent to Circulate a “Fair Wage Act” Petition on July 25, 2012. The ballot title was designated as the “Minimum Wage Ordinance”
Proponents submitted the necessary paperwork, filed notices and were authorized to begin collecting signatures. On February 7, 2013, the proponents filed 2651 signatures with the City. The County of Humboldt Elections office then verified those signatures and has certified 1,635 signatures as valid.
10% of the registered voters in Eureka were necessary for the proponents to qualify for the next regular election or 1, 370 valid signatures and 2,054 signatures were necessary to qualify for a special election.
Pursuant to Election Code 9215, Council could receive and file the Certificate of Sufficiency of Initiative Petition and take one of the following a actions:
1. Adopt the ordinance, without alteration at this meeting; or
2. Submit the ordinance, without alteration to the voters at the next regular election to be held on November 4, 2014; or
3. Order a report to be prepared by staff and present to council within 30 day as which time Council would have to adopt the ordinance without alteration or submit the ordinance without alteration to the voters at the next regular election.
At the Council meeting of March 19, 2013, the Eureka City Council elected to place the measure on the ballot for the voters to decide this issue.
Minimum Wage Ordinance