[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the City of
Taunton 3-9-2004 (§ 1-10.1 of the 2010 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall apply to any petition from the City to the
General Court pursuant to Section 8 of Article II of the Articles
of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
as amended from time to time, and any other provisions of Massachusetts
law referring to petitions from the City of Taunton to the State Legislature
(hereinafter "home rule petition").
No home rule petition shall be forwarded to the General Court
unless it shall have received the affirmative votes of at least five
members of the Municipal Council and the written approval of the Mayor.
It shall be the responsibility of the City Clerk to ensure that an
approved home rule petition is actually forwarded to the General Court.
A.
Within one
business day of the Municipal Council's affirmative vote on any home
rule petition, the City Clerk shall cause the same to be presented
to the Mayor. The Mayor may either approve or disapprove said petition.
Unless the Mayor shall affirmatively approve said petition by signing
his name thereon within 10 days of its presentation, it shall be deemed
disapproved by the Mayor.
B.
Prior to
forwarding to the General Court, the City Clerk shall ensure that,
on the face of the document, the home rule petition contains:
(1)
The
date on which the Municipal Council voted to approve said petition;
(2)
The
number of Councilors present when the vote thereon was taken and the
number of Councilors voting in favor thereof;
(3)
The
signature in ink and printed name of the Mayor;
(4)
The
date on which the Mayor approved said petition; and
(5)
The
Official Seal of the City of Taunton and the City Clerk's signature.
A.
The City Clerk shall forward the home rule petition to the General Court, in accordance with the provisions of Subsection B, within one business day of the Mayor's signature thereon.
B.
The City
Clerk shall forward the home rule petition to the General Court by
mailing, postage prepaid, the original thereof to the state senator
from Taunton with a cover letter. All state representatives whose
district contains at least 1% in Taunton shall be copied in on the
letter sent to the state senator and shall also be sent, postage prepaid,
a copy of the home rule petition by the City Clerk.
C.
Within 10 business days of the forwarding of a home rule petition to the General Court, the City Clerk shall verify, whether by telephone or otherwise, that all persons referenced in Subsection B actually received the original home rule petition, or a copy thereof, as the case may be, and the City Clerk shall so notify the Municipal Council in writing.
