Appeals court rejects move to keep Sacramento strong-mayor proposal on June 8 ballot

Appeals court rejects move to keep Sacramento strong-mayor proposal on June 8 ballot
Published Thursday, Feb. 04, 2010
http://www.sacbee.com/latest/story/2514372.html

A request to delay a Sacramento judge's decision to block Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor initiative from the ballot has been denied, effectively ensuring the initiative will not appear before the voters in June.

The 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento said Thursday it was denying a request by attorneys for the strong-mayor initiative to delay Sacramento Superior Court Judge Loren McMaster's ruling until after the June 8 election. The court also denied a request to expedite an appeal of McMaster's ruling.

"We're very pleased with the decision," said attorney Lance Olson, who represents labor leader Bill Camp, the plaintiff in a lawsuit that argued Johnson's proposal called for a revision of the City Charter.

McMaster agreed with the lawsuit and said that such revisions cannot be proposed by the initiative process, but only by an elected body such as a City Council or charter commission.