Initiative Measure 86

COMPLETE TEXT OF INITIATIVE MEASURE NO. 86

WHEREAS, a high school diploma is no longer sufficient to obtain a 
living-wage job in the Puget Sound region; and,

WHEREAS, a de facto "economic draft" compels many low and middle-
income students to consider joining the military in order to obtain 
money for college or to get job or technical training; and,

WHEREAS, recent military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have 
been carried out in violation of international law, including the 
Geneva Conventions and the Charter of the United Nations; and,

WHEREAS, over 2,200 American soldiers have died and more than 16,000 
have been injured physically and psychologically in Iraq; and,

WHEREAS, more than 100,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. 
invasion and occupation; and,

WHEREAS, Arabs and Muslims have been demonized to provide 
justification for the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as 
the wrongful deportations of US 
residents and the operation of illegal US detention centers like 
Guantanamo Bay that violate international human rights law; and,

WHEREAS, while the military bars gays and lesbians from serving 
openly, school districts, colleges and universities are required to 
host military recruiters in order to receive federal funds, thus 
violating their own legal policies against such discrimination and, 

WHEREAS, the incidence of sexual and racial harassment and abuse is 
unusually high in the military; and,

WHEREAS, Seattle taxpayers have had to pay $705 million to the war in 
Iraq while the Seattle School Board reports a $12 million deficit for 
their 2005-2006 budget; and,

WHEREAS, the people of Seattle value our youth as our most precious 
resource; now, therefore, 
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

A new section 14.14 of the Seattle Municipal Code is added to read as 
follows:
SMC 14.14 College Not Combat Ordinance

A. The City of Seattle shall discourage the use of public facilities 
including schools, colleges, universities and parks, for the purpose 
of recruiting young people into the armed forces. Furthermore, the 
Seattle City Government shall investigate, advocate for, and assist 
in implementing means of assisting high school graduates in 
continuing their 
education without feeling pressured to join the military in order to 
obtain tuition. Such means shall include the possibility of extending 
free, public education for two years beyond high school, including 
community college and vocational/technical programs.

B. On or before March 1, 2007, the President of the City Council 
shall appoint a five (5) member College Not Combat Special Committee 
to assess and report on the effects of this ordinance. The Special 
Committee shall consist of two (2) members of the City Council and 
three (3) citizen members. The President of the City Council shall 
appoint members to vacancies on the College Not Combat Special 
Committee as necessary.

C. The College Not Combat Special Committee shall:

1. Elect a chairperson and meet at least monthly or more frequently 
as necessary, and adopt such rules of procedure as are necessary to 
accomplish its purpose.

2. By December 1, 2007, submit a comprehensive written report with 
recommendations to the City Council that will include, but not be 
limited to, information concerning how the City of Seattle can 
cooperate with State and local educational institutions to extend 
free, public education for two years beyond high school, including 
community college and vocational/technical programs. The report shall 
also include information as to whether the City of Seattle is 
expending any financial resources, or is in any other way supporting, 
military recruitment on public property, and how such recruitment can 
be legally curtailed.

Severability of provisions

If any provision of this ordinance or its application to any person 
or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance or 
the application of the terms and provisions to other persons or 
circumstances shall not be affected.

COLLEGE NOT COMBAT COALITION
1814 12th Ave. #3, Seattle, WA 98122   (206)853-5866  
CNCSeattle@gmail.com

init86.htm
rev. 3/17/06