Interest group filed petition seeking to order city council to place charter amendment on general election ballot to establish local minimum-wage standard.
The District Court granted petition. City filed petition for accelerated review.
The Supreme Court of Minnesota held that proposed amendment was an exercise of general legislative authority that was not a proper subject for voter initiative under city charter.
Proposed city charter amendment that would establish a local minimum-wage standard constituted an exercise of general legislative authority, and thus was not a proper subject for voter initiative under plain language of city charter, which placed the responsibility for the general welfare of city residents in the city council. Amendment was expressly sought to “protect the welfare of city residents,” and nothing in city charter authorized an exercise of legislative action through a citizen petition that circumvented city council’s authority for legislation and policymaking.