OXNARD : City to Weigh Action Against County Fees
The Oxnard City Council has agreed to meet with other cities in the county to consider unified legal action against the county over its collection of jail-booking fees and property tax administration costs.
City Manager Vernon G. Hazen said the unanimous action by the council Tuesday will allow Mayor Nao Takasugi to discuss “courses of action, up to and including litigation.”
Last year, the Legislature authorized counties to collect fees to recover costs associated with property tax administration and the booking of prisoners into County Jail.
Oxnard, along with other cities in the county, has refused to pay the fees, saying they are illegal.
Recent action by the county auditor controller’s office deducted the amount of the fees cities owe from their most recent property tax apportionment. As a result, $463,614 was deducted from Oxnard’s property tax apportionment, Hazen said.
“The county’s action was highly inappropriate,” Hazen said. “They just did it.”
The Assn. of Ventura County Cities will meet Monday to develop a course of action. Hazen said the cost of a possibly expensive legal battle would be dispersed among all 10 municipalities.
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