Yes For Early Success v. Seattle & King County, Respondent's ( 2014 )


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  •           IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
    IN THE MATTER OF THE BALLOT TITLE
    APPEAL OF CITY OF SEATTLE                        No. 72322-7-I
    INITIATIVES 107-110,
    DIVISION ONE
    and
    IN THE MATTER OF THE BALLOT TITLE
    APPEAL OF CITY OF SEATTLE
    PROPOSITION NO. 1B
    (ORDINANCE 124509),
    PUBLISHED OPINION
    and
    YES FOR EARLY SUCCESS, a                         FILED: September 2, 2014
    non-profit corporation, LAURA
    CHANDLER, and BARBARA FLYE,
    Appellants,                                               V? CI,
    CO
    CO
    v.
    m
    5?
    1
    CITY OF SEATTLE and KING COUNTY,
    ~o
    Respondents.
    Becker, J. — Yes For Early Success and Seattle voters Laura Chandler Ol
    0
    and Barbara Flye (collectively Yes For Early Success) appeal the trial court's
    August 15, 2014 order directing that the City of Seattle and King County use a
    joint ballot title for two alternative measures concerning early childhood
    education.
    No. 72322-7-1/2
    Although Yes For Early Success designated its initiating document as a
    notice for discretionary review, it concedes that the challenged order "disposes of
    every appealable matter in the three consolidated cases, reserving . . . only a
    statutory appeal of the ballot title for Ordinance 124509." We conclude that the
    challenged trial court order is a "Decision Determining Action" and therefore
    appealable under RAP 2.2(a)(3). See also RAP 5.1(c) (appellate court will treat
    notice for discretionary review of appealable order as a notice of appeal). Yes
    For Early Success has acknowledged that it has had a sufficient opportunity to
    submit briefing addressing the merits of an appeal.
    We agree with the trial court that RCW 29A.36.050(3) specifies the
    mandatory ballot title for the measures under the circumstances present here
    and controls over any conflicting provisions of the Seattle City Charter. Yes For
    Early Success's remaining claims do not establish reversible error. We therefore
    affirm.
    FACTS
    In March 2014, Yes For Early Success filed a petition for City of Seattle
    Initiative Measure Number 107 (1-107), "An Act relating to early learning and child
    care." Among other things, the initiative would establish a $15 minimum wage for
    child care teachers and staff, establish a City policy limiting child care costs to no
    more than 10 percent of income, prohibit violent felons from providing
    professional child care, and require enhanced training for child care teachers and
    staff. Sponsors eventually submitted sufficient signatures to present 1-107 to the
    Seattle City Council in accordance with the City Charter.
    2
    No. 72322-7-1/3
    Following a session on June 23, 2014, including public comment, the
    Council rejected 1-107 and adopted Seattle Ordinance 124509, submitting to
    voters what the Council referred to as an "alternative measure dealing with the
    same subject." Ordinance 124509 proposed a preschool plan that addressed,
    among other things, early learning funding, teacher compensation, teacher
    certification and training, affordability, and an oversight committee.
    The City Charter does not provide for initiatives directly to the people. All
    initiatives must be presented first to the Council. Seattle City Charter, Article IV,
    Section 1B. Under Article IV, Section 1C of the City Charter, the Council
    may enact, or reject, any initiative bill or measure, but shall not
    amend or modify the same. It may, however, after rejection of any
    initiative bill or measure, propose and pass a different one dealing
    with the same subject.
    If the Council has rejected an initiative measure and passed a different measure
    dealing with the same subject,
    it shall be submitted at the same election with the initiative measure
    and the vote of the qualified electors also taken for and against the
    same, and if both such measures be approved by a majority vote, if
    they be conflicting in any particular, then the one receiving the
    highest number of affirmative votes shall thereby be adopted, and
    the other shall be considered rejected.
    Seattle City Charter Article IV, Section 1G.
    The parties disputed the proper ballot title for the alternative measures.
    Yes For Early Success asserted that under the City Charter, both measures
    should be submitted independently to the voters for a majority vote. The City
    maintained that RCW 29A.36.050(3) specified the proper format when the
    legislative body has proposed an alternative measure to an initiative.
    No. 72322-7-1/4
    The parties initiated three separate actions. Yes For Early Success raised
    additional claims, including alleged constitutional violations, claims under 42
    U.S.C. § 1983, and violations of the Open Public Meetings Act of 1971 (OPMA),
    chapter 42.30 RCW.
    The trial court consolidated the three actions for consideration at a hearing
    on August 15, 2014. Following argument, the court entered an order and
    memorandum opinion concluding that 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 both dealt
    with the same subject, that the general laws of Washington controlled over any
    conflicting provisions of the City's Charter, and that RCW 29A.36.071 requires
    the ballot title for an initiative submitted to the local legislative body to conform to
    the requirements of RCW 29A.72.050(3) when the legislative body has rejected
    an initiative and proposed an alternative measure addressing the same subject.
    The court directed the City and King County to use the form of joint ballot title
    specified in RCW 29A.72.050(3) for 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 and dismissed
    Yes For Early Success's remaining claims with prejudice.
    The parties have requested expedited consideration to permitthe timely
    preparation of the November 4, 2014 ballot.
    An appellate court reviews questions of statutory interpretation de novo.
    State v. J.P., 
    149 Wash. 2d 444
    , 449, 
    69 P.3d 318
    (2003). The goal of statutory
    interpretation is to ascertain and carry out the legislature's intent. Burns v. Citv of
    Seattle, 
    161 Wash. 2d 129
    , 140, 
    164 P.3d 475
    (2007). This examination
    necessarily begins with an analysis of the statute's plain language, which "is to
    be discerned from the ordinary meaning of the language at issue, the context of
    No. 72322-7-1/5
    the statute in which that provision is found, related provisions, and the statutory
    scheme as a whole." State v. Enqel. 
    166 Wash. 2d 572
    , 578, 
    210 P.3d 1007
    (2009). If, upon review, the statute's plain meaning is unambiguous, the court's
    inquiry is at an end. State v. Armendariz, 160Wn.2d 106, 110, 156P.3d201
    (2007).
    Yes For Early Success contends that it is "clear" that the legislature did
    not intend to change local initiative law when it "streamlined" the ballot title
    statutes by having the local ballot title statute refer to RCW 29A.72.050. The
    plain language of RCW 29A.36.071 and RCW 29A.72.050 belies this claim.
    Seattle is a charter city authorized by the Washington Constitution. Article
    XI, section 10 provides that "cities or towns heretofore or hereafter organized,
    and all charters thereof framed or adopted by authority of this Constitution shall
    be subject to and controlled by general laws." Consequently, "a general statute
    enacted by the legislature supersedes or modifies provisions of a citycharter to
    the extent that they are in conflict." Oakwood Co. v. Tacoma Mausoleum Ass'n,
    
    22 Wash. 2d 692
    , 695, 
    157 P.2d 595
    , adhered to on reh'g. 
    22 Wash. 2d 692
    , 
    161 P.2d 193
    (1945); see also Mosebar v. Moore. 
    41 Wash. 2d 216
    , 220, 
    248 P.2d 385
    (1952); Neils v. Citv of Seattle. 
    185 Wash. 269
    , 
    53 P.2d 848
    (1936).
    Yes For Early Success does not dispute that RCW 29A.36.071 is a
    general statute that specifies the ballot title format for local measures "submitted
    to the voters of a local government." RCW 29A.36.071(1)(c) unambiguously
    provides, with exceptions not relevant here, that "the ballot title must conform
    with the requirements and be displayed substantially as provided under RCW
    No. 72322-7-1/6
    29A.72.050." Because RCW 29A.36.071 expressly incorporates by reference
    the ballot title provisions of RCW 29A.72.050, "the precepts and terms to which
    reference is made are to be considered and treated as if they were incorporated
    into and made a part of the referring act, just as completely as if they had been
    explicitly written therein." Knowles v. Holly. 
    82 Wash. 2d 694
    , 700-01, 
    513 P.2d 18
    (1973).
    RCW 29A.72.050 is drafted solely in terms of the state "legislature." See
    also RCW 29A.72.270. Consequently, to accord any meaning to the mandate in
    RCW 29A.36.071 to follow the ballot form in RCW 29A.72.050, we must construe
    the term "legislature" in RCW 29A.72.050 to encompass the legislative authority
    or body of the "local government" as that term is used in RCW 29A.36.071. See
    Mukilteo Citizens for Simple Gov't v. Citv of Mukilteo, 
    174 Wash. 2d 41
    , 49 n.4, 
    272 P.3d 227
    (2012) (Pursuant to RCW 29A.36.071(1), the "ballot title for a local
    measure, including referenda and any other question submitted to the voters"
    must conform with the requirements of RCW 29A.72.050).
    RCW 29A.72.050(3) specifies the ballot format when there is an initiative
    to the legislative body for which the legislative body "has proposed an
    alternative." That is the situation here.
    Under the City Charter, initiatives are submitted to the Council, which may
    adopt the initiative and enact it into law, reject the initiative and present it to the
    electorate for a vote, or reject the initiative and propose an alternative and submit
    both measures for a vote. In adopting Ordinance 124509, the Council expressly
    rejected 1-107 and adopted "an alternative measure dealing with the same
    No. 72322-7-1/7
    subject as Initiative 107." In such circumstances, RCW 29A.72.050(3) requires
    the following ballot format:
    (3) For an initiative to the legislature for which the legislature
    has proposed an alternative, the ballot title must be displayed on
    the ballot substantially as follows:
    "Initiative Measure Nos.. .. and .. .B concern (statement of
    subject).
    Initiative Measure No... . would (concise description).
    As an alternative, the legislature has proposed Initiative
    Measure No. . . .B, which would (concise description).
    1. Should either of these measures be enacted into law?
    Yes                                         •
    No                                          •
    2. Regardless of whether you voted yes or no above, if one
    of these measures is enacted, which one should it be?
    Measure No                                     •
    or
    Measure No                                     •"
    Yes For Early Success maintains that the ballot title statutes and the City
    Charter can be harmonized by allowing the City to "choose" the ballot title format
    in RCW 29A.72.050 that "presents 1-107 to the voters for an up-or-down majority
    vote." Yes For Early Success concludes that the City was therefore required to
    submit both 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 to the electorate using the single-
    measure format of RCW 29A.72.050(2), the only provision of RCW 29A.72.050
    permitting an independent majority vote.
    Yes For Early Success's arguments would require us to ignore the joint
    ballot format in RCW 29A.72.050(3) for the analogous situation when the
    "legislature has proposed an alternative" to an initiative, while imposing the
    format in RCW 29A.72.050(2), which expressly applies to "an initiative to the
    legislature for which the legislature has not proposed an alternative." Yes For
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    No. 72322-7-1/8
    Early Success has not cited any relevant authority that would permit us to rewrite
    the clear language of a statute in the guise of harmonizing the statute with the
    City Charter. See Mukilteo Citizens v. Citv of 
    Mukilteo. 174 Wash. 2d at 49
    (noting
    that in a single initiative case, RCW 29A.72.050(2) "provides a ballot title form
    that local initiatives are to follow").
    Yes For Early Success's reliance on RCW 29A.36.071(3) is also
    misplaced. RCW 29A.36.071 (3) provides that the ballot title provisions of
    subsection (1) do not apply "if another provision of law specifies the ballot title for
    a specific type of ballot question or proposition." We agree with the City that
    when read in context, "another provision of law" refers to statutes that designate
    the specific ballot format in a specific context, such as those expressly referred to
    in subsection (1). Construing RCW 29A.36.071(3) to excuse compliance with
    ballot title requirements merely because a charter contains general provisions
    governing initiatives would effectively render RCW 29A.36.071(1) meaningless.
    The trial court did not err in directing the City and King County to use the
    two-part joint ballot format in RCW 29A.72.050(3).
    Yes For Early Success contends that the trial court erred when it granted
    the City injunctive relief beyond the scope permitted under CR 60(b). But the trial
    court's decision was based on three consolidated actions involving Yes For Early
    Success's challenge to the ballot title. Yes For Early Success has failed to
    demonstrate that the trial court erred in granting injunctive relief given the nature
    and scope of the three consolidated actions.
    8
    No. 72322-7-1/9
    Yes For Early Success contends that the trial court erred in "upholding"
    the City's determination that 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 conflict in certain
    particulars. But the trial court entered no such decision. To resolve the ballot
    dispute before it, the trial court determined only that the Council rejected 1-107
    and proposed an alternative measure on the same subject. No more was
    required.
    Yes For Early Success maintains that the Council's declaration in
    Resolution 31530 that 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 "conflict in several
    particulars" should be declared void as an ultra vires act because a court of law
    must determine—after an election—whether the measures "be conflicting in any
    particular." Seattle City Charter Article IV, Section 1G. Yes For Early Success
    claims that the declaration undermined its campaign by changing the nature of
    the debate and discouraging 1-107 endorsements.
    The Council's recognition of the existence of some conflict was an
    inherent part of its decision to develop an "alternative" measure instead of
    enacting 1-107. The decision to reject 1-107 and propose an alternative measure,
    which Yes For Early Success does not challenge, necessarily resulted in the
    submission of the measures to voters in the format that RCW 29A.72.050(3)
    mandates. At that point, the City Charter provisions addressing the postelection
    resolution of conflicts became irrelevant. Yes For Early Success fails to establish
    any basis for declaring the Council's statement void.
    No. 72322-7-1/10
    Yes For Early Success contends that the trial court erred in dismissing its
    claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and its claim for violation of OPMA. Yes For
    Early Success has neither identified the nature of its federal claims nor explained
    how they survived the trial court's resolution of the ballot title dispute.
    In support of its OPMA claim, Yes For Early Success alleges that the City
    made its determination that 1-107 and Ordinance 124509 conflict during an
    improper executive session. The allegation of an OPMA violation clearly rests on
    Yes For Early Success's assumption that the City Charter provisions govern the
    ballot format. As already indicated, those provisions became irrelevant once the
    Council rejected 1-107 and submitted an alternative measure on the same
    subject. No conflict is possible since only one version may be approved by the
    voters. The trial court did not err in dismissing the section 1983 and OPMA
    claims.
    Finally, Yes For Early Success asserts that the joint ballot format deprives
    the voters of various constitutional rights, including their voting and initiative
    rights, and that the ballot format will create future uncertainty. Although the
    precise nature of the claimed errors is unclear, they appear to involve primarily
    rights that allegedly arise out of the City Charter that the Washington Constitution
    authorized. But the Constitution expressly provides that city charters are subject
    to general laws that may alter or supersede charter provisions without violating
    the Constitution. Yes For Early Success fails to identify any reversible error.
    Affirmed.
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    No. 72322-7-1/11
    WE CONCUR:
    T"ey / 4             Qtf"rt^t,,
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