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<br />7e- 6'6- <br /> <br />property related or incidents of property ownership because they are based on consumption <br />and not on property ownership. The Court had reached this conclusion previously in an earlier <br />decision in the Bighorn case, but the California Supreme Court had directed the California Court <br />of Appeal to reconsider its decision in light of the Richmond case mentioned above. The <br />California Supreme Court has granted a petition for hearing in the Bighorn case. The City is <br />unable to predict when the California Supreme Court will hear the case, or what the outcome of <br />that hearing will be. <br /> <br />Most recently, in Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association v. City of Fresno (March 23, <br />2005), the California Court of Appeal, Fifth District concluded that water, sewer and trash fees <br />are property-related fees subject to Proposition 218 and must comply with Article XI liD. The <br />California Supreme Court denied the City of Fresno's petition for review of the Court of Appeal's <br />decision on June 15, 2005. <br /> <br />Proposition 218 and the City's Water Service Charges] Since the passage of <br />Proposition 218, the City has adopted water service charges increases nine times. The City did <br />not consider these charges to be property-related fees and, accordingly, did not comply with <br />Article XIIID notice requirements in connection with these increases. As described above under <br />the caption "THE ENTERPRISE - "Current Water Rates, Fees and Charges - Water Rate <br />Increases," the City has plans to increase water service charges, and, at this time, plans to <br />comply with Proposition 218 in connection with such rate increases. <br /> <br />Conclusion. The provisions of Proposition 218 have not been fully interpreted by the <br />courts. The City is unable to predict how Article XIIIC and Article XIIID will be interpreted by the <br />courts and what, if any, further implementing legislation will be enacted, and there can be no <br />assurance that Article XIIIC and Article XIIID will not limit the ability of the City to impose, levy, <br />charge and collect increased fees and charges for the Enterprise. <br /> <br />Future Initiatives <br /> <br />Article XIIIA, Article XIIIB and Proposition 218 were each adopted as measures that <br />qualified for the ballot through California's initiative process. From time to time other initiative <br />measures could be adopted, further affecting the City's revenues. <br /> <br />OTHER INFORMATION <br /> <br />Certain Legal Matters <br /> <br />The validity of the Bonds and certain other legal matters are subject to the approving <br />opinion of Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, LLP, Irvine, California, California, Bond Counsel. <br />Certain matters will be passed upon for the Issuer by Jones Hall, A Professional Law <br />Corporation, San Francisco, California, as Disclosure Counsel. Certain legal matters will be <br />passed upon for the Authority and the City by the City Attorney. <br /> <br />Payment of the fees and expenses of Bond Counsel and Disclosure Counsel is <br />contingent upon the issuance of the Bonds. <br /> <br />Bond Counsel has not undertaken any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or <br />fairness of this Official Statement or other offering materials relating to the Bonds and <br />expresses no opinion relating thereto. <br /> <br />40 <br />