Hearing Date Set on Fiscal Analysis
A judge has set an Aug. 25 hearing date to rule on whether a fiscal analysis approved by the county for inclusion with a November ballot measure is inaccurate and biased.
Superior Court Judge Henry Walsh set the date to allow the county time to get its rebuttal submitted, and to give the county time, if necessary, to have the fiscal analysis and so-called impartial analysis rewritten before Aug. 29. The sample ballots are set to go to the printer Sept. 1.
Backers of Community Memorial Hospital-sponsored Measure O that would transfer $260 million in tobacco money from county government filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking that various statements in the sample ballot be rewritten.
The lengthy lawsuit alleges the county used biased or argumentative wording, added irrelevant information or misrepresented facts.
County officials stand by the impartiality of the reports--to be included in booklets sent to voters--and said the hospitals are attempting to bombard the county with lawsuits.
Lawyers said the county would most likely countersue in response to Community Memorial’s argument for the measure.
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