Olympia City Council Members (Cherly Selby, Jessica Bateman, Nathaniel Jones, Clark Gilman, Julie Hankins, Jeannine Roe, & Jim Cooper) - Alleged violation of RCW 42.17A.555

On September 8, 2016, Knoll Lowney filed a Citizen Action Complaint with the Attorney General's Office Under RCW 42.17A.765(4) alleging that Olympia City Council Members Cheryl Selby, Jessica Bateman, Nathaniel Jones, Clark Gilman, Julie Hankins, Jeannine Roe, and Jim Cooper may have violated RCW 42.17A.555 by using or authorizing the use of City of Olympia facilities to oppose a ballot proposition submitted to the City by Opportunity for Olympia (OFO) for inclusion on the November 8, 2016 general election ballot. The initiative sought to impose an excise tax to fund grants for community college education.  The complaint alleges that the City Council members used or authorized the use of City funds to challenge OFO's initiative in court in an effort to keep it off of the ballot.