Title
Resolution to Order Election and to Determine Ballot Question for Referendum in Question if Issuance of 2008 Courts and Police Facilities Capital Improvement Bond
Body
Whereas, Section 8.17 of the Ann Arbor City Charter authorizes City Council to issue bonds for any purpose within the scope of the powers vested in the City;
Whereas, City Council approved Resolution R-08-143 regarding notice of its intent to issue General Obligation Capital Improvement bonds in an amount not to exceed Thirty-one Million Dollars ($31,000,000) for the purpose of paying a portion of the costs of construction of a new building annexed to City Hall to house 15th District Court and Police facilities and operations and related site improvement including construction of secured parking for government purposes;
Whereas, A Notice of Intent to issue bonds was published in accordance with Section 517 of Act 34 of the Public Acts of 2001, as amended, which provides that capital improvement bonds may be issued without a vote of the electors of the City unless a proper petition for an election on the question of the issuance of the Bond is filed with the City Clerk within a period 45 days from the date of publication;
Whereas, Thereafter during the statutory 45-day notice period, a citizen group, Ask Voters First.org circulated a petition for a referendum on the question of issuance of the Bonds;
Whereas, Ask Voters First.org failed to file with the City a petition before the close of the notice period although an unverified number of signatures, which may or may not have been certified as proper by the City if a petition had been filed, were collected and totaled by the circulator at 5600 signatures (being less than the total number of signatures which would have been required to place the question before the registered electors of the City);
Whereas, It is recognized that City Council has full and legal authority to issue the Bonds at this time; and
Whereas, Notwithstanding City ...
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