Bob Blymyer Says, “City Officials Should Pay the Legal Fees, Not Us!”
SACRAMENTO, Calif.– LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire –The Sacramento County Taxpayers League called on City officials, not taxpayers, to pay the legal fees associated with fighting a group of Downtown property owners in Court.
In September, a Superior Court judge ruled that the city of Sacramento must pay property owner Moe Mohanna and other K Street landlords more than $42,000 to cover their attorney’s fees in defending themselves against a city lawsuit.
“With mounting budget deficits looming, City officials continue to throw away taxpayer money, and it isn’t right,” said Bob Blymyer, the League’s executive director. “A highly respected Superior Court judge ruled that the City shouldn’t have brought this case against the property owners. Now, taxpayers will have to foot the bill. It’s time we make City officials pay for this mistake out of their own pockets!”
In most decisions, government officials are not held personally liable. Blymyer said they should, under some circumstances, pay for their mistakes personally.
“City officials didn’t like the initial ruling, so they went out and hired the most expensive appellate court lawyer they could find, a premier Sacramento attorney to appeal,” Blymyer said. “This time an Appellate Court judge issued a one sentence denial. By holding the city officials personally responsible, city officials may think twice before spending our money so foolishly.”
The city had been seeking to enforce a land exchange agreement Mohanna had signed. After a fire and demolition altered the condition of the properties, the City sued Mohanna for failing to execute the agreement. Superior Court Judge Loren E. McMaster previously ruled that the city is unlikely to prevail in its suit against Mohanna and was not justified in filing a legal notice of action. Now, the City is set to use the power of eminent domain. The public hearing scheduled for December 11th was postponed until December 18th.
Founded in 1961, the Sacramento County Taxpayers League is comprised of a diverse group of business, professional and industrial organizations, who are greatly concerned with our community and the most effective use of our tax dollars. For more information www.obsnews.com
