PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale has joined the League of California Cities in applauding the recent signing of a series of new California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) measures.
The new measures were signed into law as AB 350 on Sept. 28 by California Governor Jerry Brown.
Since the enactment of CVRA, dozens of cities and additional local government entities have been sued for alleged violations. CVRA provides generous recovery for attorney’s fees, and consequently, cities have incurred extremely high legal costs — some as high as $7 million. Local agencies in recent years have paid an estimated $20 million in legal fees to plaintiffs’ attorneys. This estimate does not include internal costs expended by the agencies during CVRA litigation.
In a news article on www.cacities.org, the League of California Cities applauded Governor Brown, Assembly Members Luis Alejo and Jim Cooper, as well as the wide range of stakeholders who came together on these measures.
“This is an important step in taking away money as an incentive for predatory CRVA lawsuits,” stated Palmdale City Manager Jim Purtee. “Palmdale was so seriously impacted by these egregious predatory practices that we were one of the primary examples provided to the state legislators that compelled them to pass AB 350.”
“Despite the fact that Palmdale is a minority majority city, with a 57 percent Hispanic population, we were dragged into a lawsuit for financial gain,” Purtee added. “The monies collected by these predacious attorneys could have provided for police sources, education, street repairs and other City and district services.”
Under AB 350, prospective plaintiffs are required to send a written demand letter alleging that the local government has violated provisions of CVRA. Upon receipt of the letter, a local government has an initial 45 days of safe harbor (protection) to assess their needs and make a determination if they wish to contest the alleged violation or convert to districts through the ordinance process. Should the city choose to convert to district through the ordinance process, the city is afforded an additional 90 days to comply before a lawsuit can be filed.
Key provisions of AB 350 include:
- Legal fees capped. A hard cap of total financial liability will now be set at $30,000. Currently, a city can be sued by several different plaintiffs. Even if a city is in the process of converting to districts and have entered a pre-litigation settlement agreement with one plaintiff, they can still be sued by another plaintiff to pile on for financial gain. Under AB 350, a city is only liable for a total cost of up to $30,000.
- If a city is complying with the provisions of AB 350, it is safe harbored (protected) from litigation throughout the public hearing and ordinance process (up to 135 days if a demand letter was received by the city, 90 days if no demand letter was received).
- A city can be proactive and voluntarily switch to district based elections (without receiving a formal demand letter) and have 90 days of safe harbor protection free from litigation.
- Cities still have full local control. They are not mandated to move to districts. If a city receives a demand letter they are given 45 days of legal protection from litigation to assess their liability and make a determination.
“We join the League of California Cities in thanking the governor, legislature and all who worked to help protect cities, and ultimately taxpayers, from costly unnecessary litigation,” Purtee said.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]
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Mr fed up says
Greety lawyers, and scum from down below have ruined the antelope valley
Tim Scott says
I grew up here. The Antelope Valley was a horror. I was gone for ten years and when I came back it was starting to look like it might turn out okay. I was gone for another ten years and when I came back it had turned into a fairly decent place to live, as long as you stay out of Lancaster. I think all the “ruined the AV” talk is crazy.
William says
Do you live in Lancaster, Mr fed up?
Mr fed up says
Yes, i know i forgot king rex! The biggest of them all
Tim Scott says
Forgot? You said greedy lawyers and scum from down below…I figured you covered Wrecks two ways.
Vic says
One greedy lawyer in particular has ruined Lancaster on many different levels. If you want anything decent, go to Palmdale. Lancaster is pretty much screwed with Mayor McCheese in charge.
g hernandez LLA says
PALMDALE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISTRICTED LONG AGO. but what does it say when local politicians refuse to acknowledge a growing demographic in favor of a status quo that has proved itself capable of discrimination, embracing and encouraging, bias law enforcement and denial of representation to that, now majority, demographic?
REMEMBER 1980 when LACO was gerrymandered to ensure that LACO Hispanics would never be able to elect their own LACO supervisor? take a look at which supervisors were sitting then and think about how the AV has been treated like an unwanted step child since 1980. look back and see who was responsible for building the Nuisance Abatement Task Force (NATF) that invaded the homes of our deep desert independants living off the grid and then who funded the “War on Section 8” that cost US taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars.
aint that like a “fix”?
VOTE THE 8TH AND LETS BRING THE AV INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND SHED OUR REPUTATION FOR DISCRIMINATION, CORRUPT POLITICIANS, DISPARATE SENTENCING AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES. THE TYRANNY, MISTREATMENT AND DENIAL OF REPRESENTATION PERPETRATED BY THE ANTONOVITCH REGIME CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IN THE CLONE ANTONOVITCH ENDORSSEE K. BARGER
G Hernandez 818.454.6675 Praetorian.Omega6@yahoo.com
Hispanic Representative LLA
Antelope Valley Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
Antelope Valley Peoples Coalition – BOYCOTT AV PRESS MEETING: https://www.facebook.com/events/661761820666264/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%224%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%22370%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D
Mr fed up says
First, people move in droves into a diffrent community, and start demanding thhat there new community resemble the home they left! I.e. voting districts for a tier 2 city, because you cant win a election in a at large system! Remember its not all the crooked politicians also its whos eligabile to vote! The antelope valley isnt the perfect place but its wad much safer, and we nvr had problems tell all you newcomers started arriving because of the cheap housing that keeps rising.and if you dont want people going to jail and seving sentences perhaps, not commiting crimes keeps people out of jail and less prisons being built, instead of trying to sue and protest, become part of your new community and you will be excepted, not try to turn the a.v. into south los angeles county!
Martha P says
Parris took all of the money he received from suing Palmdale citizens and donated it to Pepperdine University in Malibu.
No Rex says
How sweet of Rex to take his ‘hard earned’ money that he sucked from the taxpayers in Palmdale and gave it to the wealthy people of Malibu. Sort of a backwards Robin Hood; steal from the poor and give to the rich.
He is a special kind of scum.
Carol R says
Is this Rex?? Cuz how would you know what he does to get a tax break, Martha? Yea, we all know he paid to put his name on a program at a law school he didn’t attend…because he tells everyone! (sort of like you did here). But even under that attempt at disguise it’s not a good excuse. So Martha, you seem to have an inside scoop. Why don’t you try and tell us all why he sued so many others like Santa Clarita and even the school districts in Lancaster where he’s the Mayor for goodness sakes. What a traitor to his own community! You can’t defend his greedy bad behavior, Martha….I mean Rex.
AV supporter says
Well spoken
Just wondering says
…why he didn’t donate the money to A V College since they always need money. I guess Palmdale citizens might somehow benefit from it.
No Rex says
Because he can care less about Palmdale citizens. He has done nothing but hurt Palmdale for decades. The people of Palmdale are aware of what he has done and they will not support him or his henchmen, including those candidates he funnels money to in order to control Palmdale’s politics. He has made inroads with IBEW and Kathy “Job Killer” McLauren. Beware of who she and other like her support. Bad for Palmdale, good for Rex.
Ray Ray says
If Rex can’t sue cities and school districts anymore for insane amounts of money, how’s he going to get the big bucks he needs to keep his beach mansion and private plane? I feel so bad for him.
R Zamora says
I wish the cities of Palmdale, Santa Clarita and all of the various voting districts could counter-sue Rex and Shenkman and take all of their money back!
Sue Them says
Can the citizens of Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and other cities who have been robbed by these thieves file a class action lawsuit now that the state government has realized that this is a scam?
Linda says
is there an honest lawyer out there who would take the case to get the taxpayer’s money back? It is disgusting that those two lawyers who live at the beach suck the funds from inland and desert communities.
Lawyers in Love says
It’s about time! Scum suckers stealing tax dollars. Time to find a new scam.