OJAI : City Joins Lawsuit Over County Fees
Ojai has joined with other Ventura County cities in a lawsuit to get back fees charged by the county for collecting property taxes and booking prisoners into jail.
Ojai City Atty. Monte Widders said the city managers of all 10 cities in the county have asked their councils to authorize the suit.
About half the cities have decided to join in the suit and the others are expected to follow shortly, Widders said.
The state Legislature authorized the fees as a way to help ease the counties’ budget woes.
In a report to the City Council Tuesday night, City Manager Andy Belknap said that on May 16 the county deducted $36,873 from the regular tax distribution payment to the city to cover these charges. The county withheld another $8,195 from the Ojai Redevelopment Agency’s taxes.
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