Laserfiche WebLink
Page 1 of 2 <br />Santa Ana Successor Agency Dispute on ROPS #'s 14 -18 (Settlement <br />Agreements): <br />The Settlement Agreements consist of legal settlement agreements between the Former <br />Agency and third parties ("Contractual Settlement Agreements"), and judgments entered against the <br />Former Agency by the California Superior Court for the County of Orange ("Judgment Settlement <br />Agreements"). These are not pass through agreements with affected taxing entities, but are similarly <br />structured, in that the terms of these agreements required the Former Agency to apply a specified <br />percentage of tax increment from specified component project areas to specified improvements and <br />other purposes. <br />We have provided all documentation requested by the DOF relating to the Settlement <br />Agreements and we have explained more than once already why the Settlement Agreements are <br />enforceable obligations of the Successor Agency that were properly included on the ROPS. In the <br />May 24 Letter, the DOF rejected the Settlement Agreements, stating (without statutory reference or <br />legal support) that "Settlements awarding a percentage of tax increment are not considered EOs." <br />The DOF went on to explain, again without specific statutory or other legal authority, that "pursuant <br />to ABx1 26, tax increment is no longer payable to redevelopment agencies and is therefore not an <br />E0." <br />The DOF's position is contrary to the plain language of the Dissolution Act and applies the <br />Dissolution Act in an unconstitutional manner. <br />Section 34171(d) defines "enforceable obligation" for purposes of Part 1.85 of the <br />Dissolution Act; Section 34171(d)(1)(E) provides that "enforceable obligations" include "[a]ny <br />legally binding and enforceable agreement or contract that is not otherwise void as violating the debt <br />limit or public policy,"' The Contractual Settlement Agreements are legally binding and enforceable <br />agreements which were executed long before June 28, 2012, when the Dissolution Act became <br />effective. <br />Section 34171(d)(1)(D) provides that "enforceable obligations" include "[j]udgments or <br />settlements entered by a competent court of law or binding arbitration decisions against the former <br />redevelopment agency, other than passthrough payments that are made by the county auditor- <br />controller pursuant to Section 34183.s2 As noted above, the Judgment Settlement Agreements are <br />binding and enforceable judgments issued by California courts in favor of third party private entities, <br />not affected taxing entities. The Judgment Settlement Agreements are not passthrough agreements. <br />As with the Contractual Settlement Agreements, the Judgment Settlement Agreements were issued <br />and became binding and enforceable long before the effective date of the Dissolution Act. <br />In addition to the plain language of Section 34171, subdivisions (d)(1)(D) and (d)(1)(E), the <br />DOF's statement that payments of tax increment are not permitted by AB 1 x 26 is patently false. <br />Section 34183 specifically requires county auditor-controllers to make payments under pass through <br />Identical language is found in subparagraph (5) of Section 34167(d), which defines "enforceable <br />obligation" for purposes of Part 1.8 of the Dissolution Act. <br />z Identical language is found in subparagraph (4) of Section 34167(d), which defines "enforceable <br />obligation" for purposes of Part 1.8 of the Dissolution Act. <br />SA Resolution No. 2012-007 <br />Page 13 of 24