On July 30, 2025, a divided California Court of Appeal issued its long-awaited opinion in Patz v. City of San Diego, affirming the trial court’s judgment that the City’s tiered residential water rates violated Proposition 218...more
8/1/2025
/ Appeals ,
California ,
Class Action ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Damages ,
Judicial Review ,
Public Utility ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Remand ,
State and Local Government ,
State Constitutions ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Utilities Sector ,
Water
Local agencies that provide water service may impose fees to recover the costs of providing water services. Unlike taxes, which require voter approval prior to adoption, water fees are approved by a local agency’s legislative...more
A city’s annual budgetary transfer from its electric utility to its general fund, referred to as a payment in lieu of taxes and known as PILOT, is an electric utility cost and not an exaction subject to Proposition 26, the...more
The City of Riverside’s transfer of electric utility service charge revenue to the City’s general fund for general purposes was upheld last week by a California Appellate Court. ...more