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(1) Not less than 56 days prior to the date of the election, the written arguments authorized by subsection 2.994(1)(b) of this code in favor of, and in opposition to a measure shall be submitted to the city recorder. Any rebuttals to the arguments shall be submitted not less than 46 days prior to the date of the election. Such arguments and rebuttals shall be prepared and submitted in the following manner:

(a) Citizen-initiated measures. The written argument in favor of the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in opposition to the measure, shall be submitted by one or more of the chief petitioners. The written argument in opposition to the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in support of the measure, shall be submitted by a three-person committee. The committee shall be chosen by the city recorder by lot, at a time and place announced to all applicants, from among persons who file an application for a position on the committee within a time specified by the city recorder after appropriate notice of opportunity to apply. An applicant shall certify under penalty of perjury that he or she is a bona fide opponent to the city measure. If no one applies for appointment to prepare the argument in opposition, the voters’ pamphlet shall so state.

(b) City council-referred measures. The written argument in favor of the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in opposition to the measure, shall be submitted by one or more of the city councilors who voted in favor of the measure; except that in the case of a city measure referred on the recommendation of Eugene Water & Electric Board, one or more members of the Eugene Water & Electric Board voting in favor of the measure shall be substituted for the city councilors. The written argument in opposition to the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in support of the measure, shall be submitted by a three-person committee chosen in the same manner as provided by paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(c) Citizen-referred measures. The written argument in favor of the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in opposition to the measure, shall be submitted by one or more of the city councilors who voted in favor of the ordinance referred. The written argument in opposition to the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in support of the measure, shall be submitted by one or more of the chief petitioners of the referendum petition, so long as the persons who submit the argument and rebuttal first certify under penalty of perjury that they are bona fide opponents of the ordinance. If the chief petitioners are not bona fide opponents (e.g., if they merely favor the opportunity to vote on the issue), the argument in opposition to the city measure, and the rebuttal to the argument in support of the measure, shall be submitted by a three-person committee chosen in the same manner as provided by paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(2) If one or more members of the committees preparing the arguments or rebuttals cannot agree on a committee statement, he or she may write his or her own statement not exceeding 116 words if the statement is one of argument or 66 words if the statement is one of rebuttal. The length of the committee argument or rebuttal, if any, shall be reduced by the same amount.

(3) Statements from candidates for city offices, other than those statements submitted pursuant to subsection 2.993(4), shall be submitted not less than 56 days prior to the date of an election.

(4) Not less than 56 days prior to the date of an election, additional arguments, authorized by subsection 2.994(1)(c) of this code, in support of, or in opposition to a measure may be submitted, providing that each additional argument is accompanied by the signatures of 300 electors supporting the argument or by a fee of $300.

(a) Each person signing a petition shall subscribe to a statement that the person has read and agrees with the argument.

(b) The city recorder or designee shall verify the signatures on a petition as provided in subsection 2.979(1) of this code. The city recorder or designee shall attach to the petition a certificate stating the number of elector signatures on the petition. A signature that is not the signature of an elector shall not be counted by the city recorder for determining compliance with this subsection.

(5) The city recorder shall reject any argument or statement which

(a) Contains any defamatory language;

(b) Contains any language which may not legally be circulated in the mails; or

(c) Otherwise does not comply with sections 2.993 to 2.998 of this code.

(6) The city recorder shall include in the voters’ pamphlet on each page containing a printed candidate statement or arguments on a measure, the name of the person who submitted the statement or argument, the name of the organization the person represents, if any, whether the argument supports or opposes the measure, the statement(s) required by subsection 2.996(1)(a) and (c) of this code, if applicable, and a disclaimer in substantially the following form: “The printing of this (argument or statement) does not constitute an endorsement by the City of Eugene, nor does the City of Eugene warrant the accuracy or truth of any statement made.”

(Section 2.996 added by Ordinance No. 19533, enacted February 8, 1998; amended by Ordinance No. 20030, enacted December 4, 1995, effective January 3, 1996; Ordinance No. 20135, enacted December 7, 1998, effective January 6, 1999; Ordinance No. 20190, enacted February 28, 2000, effective March 29, 2000; and Ordinance No. 20405, enacted March 19, 2008, effective April 19, 2008; clerically corrected July 7, 2008.)