AgdaPkt 2004-08-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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�3 LEGAL ADVOCACY ACTIVITI( Property Tax Refunds Not Required on behaff of the League. The name of the case is Mair�in Our Desert Environment v. Torm of Apple Local govemments reoeived good news on July VaNey, No. E0339004, (4" Dist. June 10, 2004). 21, 2004, when the Califomia Supreme Court denied a petition for �view in the case Cour�ty of Orange v. �CENT LEAGUE FRIEND-OF-THE-COURT Bez�re. In Bezaire, the court ofi appeal ruled that county assessors maY ��P��" ProPenY iaxes above Proposition 13's two-percent iMlation cap in FILINGS years where property values increased to affset The League would like m provide special thanks previous years wher�e properiy values were either flat ��e individuals listed below, who wrote friend-of-the- or decr�eased. By upholding the ruling, the Sup�eme �urt letbers or briefs, for their volunteer efforts on Court relieved coun6es af having to re�fund billions of behaff af the League. Following guideline changes dollars, enabling local govemments to continue to relating to the League's fiend-of-the-c�ourt partiapa- provide vifal local services. The League again thanks �n that were adoptied in 2002, typically briefs are Andrew Freeman, Deputy County Counsel, San filed on behalf af the League rather than on behaff of Diego, and Ruth Sorenson, formerly with CSAC, joining aties. for wriiting the pr�eviousy filed a fiend-o�the-oourt brief with the court of appeal. League action and a brief summary af the case appear below Copies af the filings ar�e available at: The League and CSAC recently filed a friend-of- �.q��,a��ntfilings. th�court brief in a similar case pending in the first district court af appeal, Titus v. County of Marin, No. A103960 (1� Dist.). The League thanks Andrew Public Agency Liability for Attorneys Fees Freeman, Deputy County Counsel, San Diego The League filed a iriend-of-the-court brief and Jennifer Henning, Litigation Coordinator, seeki ublication of a court of a CSAC for writing the brief on behaff of the League � p ppeal opinion clarifying the standard of review that the courts must and CSAC. apply in reviewing whether the award of atbmey's fees is proper and whether litigadon has r�esulted in Water Rates Not Subject to Initiative Process me errforcement o�i an important public right. The The Calffomia Su reme Court recentl affirmed a League thanks Michael Colantuono, City Attorney, P Y Barstow, Calabasas, La Habra Heights and court of appeal decision conduding that a public Sferra Madre, for writing the letfier on behalf af the agency's water rate strucfiure is not subject b voter League. The name of the case is Vedanta Society of control through the initiative process. The League Sou�em Cali(emia v. C�ifomia Quartet. thanks Janet Momingstar with McCormick, Kidman 8� Behr+ens, far wriiting the friend-of-the- court brief on behalf of the League, CSAC and the False Claims Act Filings Association of Califomia Watier Agenaes. The name The League filed a friend-of-the-cc�urt brief urging of the case is B�g Hom Desert V"rew WaterAgency v. �e court of appeal bo interpret the Califomia False Beringson, Registrar of Voters. Claims Act and the Ur�fair Competition Law to permit public entities to recover their co�s for the investiga- Iderrt�cation of Project End User Not Required tion and prosecution af false daims. The League Under CEQA thanks Brent Goodrich with Parker Milliken Clark O'Hara & Samuelian, far writing the brief on behatf The court of appeal reoently published an opinion o� the League and CSAC. The name of the case is conduding that a public agency is not required to Tutor Saliba Perini v. Los Angeles County Met►r�polf- disclose the identity of a project end user because ihe tan TransitAutl�ority, No. B143430 (2nd Dist). identity af the user is not r�elevant in an environmental impact assessment under CE(1A. The League thanks To request League amicus assistance visit: Donna Black, with Morrison 8� Forrester, for www.cacities.org/reQUestamicus. For more writing the letter brief in support af partial publication ��ormation about the League's Legal Advocacy Program visit: www.cacities.orgllegaladvocacv. Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 3 , . _ � _...._ . ._ _. . _ r__.