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<br />Redondo Beach <br />Rio Vista <br />Riverside <br />Riverbank <br />Rocklin <br />Rohnert Park <br />Rosemead <br />Sacramento <br />Salinas <br />San Anselmo <br />San Bernardino <br />San Carlos <br />San Clemente <br />San Francisco <br />San Gabriel <br />San Jacinto <br />San Leandro <br />San Luis Obisoo <br />San Marcos <br />San Rafael <br />Sand Citv <br />Sanaer <br /> <br />Santa Clara <br />Santa Clarita <br />Santa Cruz <br />Santa Fe Sorinas <br />Santa Maria <br />Santee <br />Seaside <br />Sebastoool <br />Selma <br />Solana Beach <br />Sonoma <br />Sonora <br />South Gate <br />South Lake Tahoe <br />South San Francisco <br />Stockton <br />Susanville <br />Taft <br />Tehachapi <br />Temecula <br />Torrance <br />Tulare <br /> <br />Vacaville <br />Valleio <br />Victorville <br />Visalia <br />Vista <br />Walnut <br />Walnut Creek <br />Wasco <br />Watsonville. <br />Weed <br />West Covina <br />Wheatland <br />Whittier <br />Wildomar <br />Williams <br />Willows <br />Windsor <br />Woodland <br />Yountville <br />Yucaioa <br /> <br />8A <br />Page 17 <br /> <br />Appellate Court Says No to Taxpayer Class Actions <br /> <br />Local governments secured an important win last week when the Second District Court of Appeal <br />issued its decision in Ardon v. City of Los Angeles. In this case, the court confirmed that a single <br />taxpayer cannot bring a class action lawsuit "on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated" <br />for a tax refund. Rather each individual must bring a separate claim. <br /> <br />A contrary ruling would have imposed substantial but unknown potential liabilities on local <br />governments. When presented with a class claim, local governments would not know who or how <br />many were claiming a tax refund and for what amounts. This potential for uncertain liability would <br />have placed local governments between a rock and a hard place when budgeting. <br /> <br />"Such class claims for tax refunds [would] force local governments either to impound tax revenue <br />and thus make revenue unavailable to meet basic needs-or to spend the revenue to meet basic <br />needs now, and risk major budget cuts or the issuance of bonds later. Class claims thus defeat <br />the chief purpose of the pre-lawsuit claim presentation requirement, which is to allow <br />governments to accurately plan for potential liabilities: explained Peter Keith, Deputy City <br />Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco and drafter of the League's amicus brief in this <br />case. <br /> <br />The taxpayer is likely to seek review by the California Supreme Court. The League will continue <br />to monitor this case, and if review is granted, the League will file an amicus brief in support of the <br />City. <br /> <br />The court's full opinion is available online at htto://www.courtinfo.ca.aov/opinions/. <br /> <br />NLC Update on Federal Climate Change Legislation <br /> <br />Several weeks ago, the federal House Energy and Commerce Committee passed comprehensive <br />energy reform and climate change legislation. While this legislation is nowhere near its final form, <br />National League of Cities (NLC) staff has provided a short summary of key provisions as they <br />relate to local government. <br /> <br />Eight other House committees are expected to consider portions of the bill that fall under their <br />jurisdiction: Agriculture, Education and Labor, Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Natural <br /> <br />9 <br />