Opinion ID: 1596326
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: facts

Text: In July 1993 the Clinton city council adopted five separate safety standards ordinances (building, fire, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing). After petitions with sufficient qualified electors' signatures had been filed, the city council voted not to repeal the ordinances. As provided by the home rule charter, the city then directed the ordinances be forwarded to the Auditor to be placed on the ballot at the November 1993 municipal election. When the Auditor refused to submit the referendum to a vote, the city petitioned for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief. The petition asked the court to declare the initiative and referendum provisions of the city's home rule charter to be constitutional and to prohibit the Auditor from refusing to submit the referendum issues requested by the city. After the requested injunctive relief had been denied, the declaratory judgment petition was submitted to the district court. The district court held article VI of the charter is contrary to state law. The court found provisions of the City Code of Iowa and the election laws of Iowa were inconsistent with the initiative and referendum provisions of the Clinton charter.