4540

MUNICIPAL CHARTERS

mayor shall return all ordinances to the clerk—treasurer
within six days after delivery to him (excluding the
first day, including the last day, and excluding any
Sunday) with his approval or disapproval. Any ordinance
approved by the mayor shall be law. Any ordinance
disapproved by the mayor shall return with a message
stating the reasons for his disapproval. Any disapproved
ordinance shall not become a law unless subsequently
passed by a favorable vote of three—fourths of the whole
council within thirty—five calendar days from the time of
the return of the ordinance. If the mayor fails to
return any ordinance within six days of its delivery, it
shall be deemed to be approved by the mayor and shall
become the law in the same manner as an ordinance signed
by him.

16. Referendum.

I, before the expiration of twenty calendar days
following approval of any ordinance by the mayor or
passage of any ordinance over the mayor's veto, a
petition is filed with the clerk—treasurer containing the
signatures of not less than twenty per centum (20%) of
the qualified voters of the town and requesting that the
ordinance, or any part thereof, be submitted to a vote of
the qualified voters of the town for their approval or
disapproval, the council shall have the ordinance, or the
part thereof requested for referendum, submitted to a
vote of the qualified voters of the town at the next
regular town election or, in the council's discretion, at
a special election occurring before the next regular
election. No ordinance, or the part thereof requested
for referendum, shall become effective following the
receipt of such petition until and unless approved at the
election by a majority of the qualified voters voting on
the question. An emergency ordinance, or the part
thereof requested for referendum, shall continue in
effect for sixty days following receipt of such petition.
If the question of approval or disapproval of any
emergency ordinance, or any part thereof, has not been
submitted to the qualified voters within sixty days
following receipt of the petition, the operation of the
ordinance, or the part thereof requested for referendum,
shall be suspended until approved by a majority of the
qualified voters voting on the question at any election.
Any ordinance, or part thereof, disapproved by the voters
shall stand repealed. The provisions of this section
shall not apply to any ordinance, or part thereof, passed
under the authority of section 62, levying property taxes
for the payment of indebtedness, but the provisions of
this section shall apply to any ordinance, or any part
thereof, levying special assessment charges under the
provisions of sections 92 and 93. The provisions of this
section shall be selfexecuting, but the council may adopt