(1) Salary changes fixed by the commission shall be subject to referendum in the same manner as a county ordinance except as otherwise provided in RCW 36.17.024. Referendum petitions shall be prepared and processed in accordance with charter section 5.80, except that pursuant to RCW 36.17.024 petitions containing the signatures of registered voters of the county equal in number to not less than five percent of the number of votes cast in the county in the last governor’s election must be filed within 30 days after filing of the salary schedule.

(2) After the filing of a referendum petition the salary changes shall be suspended until approved by the voters as provided in charter section 5.80. If the voters fail to approve the salary changes for a two-year biennium the commission may prepare and file a schedule of salaries for the second year of the biennium no later than May 1st of the first year of the biennium, which shall be prepared and filed and take effect as provided in SCC 2.105.060. (Added by Ord. 07-053, June 27, 2007, Eff date July 9, 2007; Amended by Ord. 13-026, Apr. 24, 2013, Eff date May 10, 2013).