Earlier this month, City Attorney James Sanchez sent a confidential memo to select staff. The city won’t release it, but multiple sources told SN&R that its contents explored ways to successfully quash the arena ballot initiative, which asks for voter approval of the Sacramento Kings deal. Sanchez looked at 10 possible scenarios. But his conclusion was, essentially, that even though the petitions contained multiple errors and deficiencies, a judge would ultimately find them compliant with election law.
This past Friday, however, City Clerk Shirley Concolino rejected the arena-vote petitions anyway.
Now, Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork and Voters for a Fair Arena Deal—the two groups vying to put the initiative on the June ballot—submitted an application in Sacramento Superior Court this week challenging the city’s ruling. They argue that their signature-gathering efforts amount to “substantial compliance” with election requirements.