Patterson

This case concerns the validity of a preelection removal of an initiative ordinance from the San Francisco ballot.

Facts

We outline the procedural/factual background to the questions presented.

Appellant Robert Guichard was a proponent of a petition for an initiative ordinance to be submitted to the electorate at a special election scheduled for June 2, 1987. The ballot proposal, entitled “Stop the Great Land Give away Ordinance” (Proposition D), provided in essence that the City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Unified School District (collectively plaintiffs and respondents) could not lease any real property for a period longer than five years or sell any real property under their respective jurisdictions for less than 90 percent of the property’s fair market value unless the electorate approved the transfer at a regularly scheduled municipal election.

On April 3, 1987, respondent Jay Patterson, the registrar of voters, confirmed that the proposition contained the requisite number of valid signatures qualifying it for the ballot.

On April 10, 1987, respondents city and school district filed a petition for writ of mandate directing the registrar to…