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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> auditor-controller pursuant to Section 341 83. As noted above, the Judgment Settlement <br /> Agreements are binding and enforceable judgments isSUcd by California courts in favor of third <br /> party private entities, not affected taxing entities- The Judgment SCUlement Agreements are not <br /> paSSthrOUgh agreements. As with the Contractual Settlement Agreements. tile _11-Idgincrit <br /> Settlement Agreements were issued and became binding and enforceable long before the <br /> effective date 01-the Dissolution Act. <br /> In addition to the plain language of Section 341 71 , subdivisions (d)( I )(D) and (d)( I )(E), <br /> the DOF's statement that payments of tax increment are not permitted by A131 x 26 is patently <br /> false. Section 34183 specifically requires county auditor-controllers to make payments under <br /> pass through agreements to taxing agencies. Many such agreements required 161-Iller <br /> redevelopment agencies to pay a specified percentage of-tax increment to taxing agencies. <br /> Section 34171 (d)( I)(D) specifically refers to such pass through payments, and excludes <br /> payments made by county auditor-controllers under Section 341 83 Crone the purview of Section <br /> 341 71 (d)( 1 )(D), presumably to avoid double payments to taxing entities. This indicates that the <br /> California Iegislaturc intended judgments and settlements, like the Judgment Settlement <br /> Agreements, that are similar in structure to pass through agreements, to be considered <br /> enforceable obligations and included ora the ROPS_ Further, Section 341 75(a) makes clear that <br /> the legislature intended to honor all pledges made by the Dormer Agency; that section <br /> specifically protects the "stream of revenues available to elect the requirements" ofsUCh <br /> protected pledges_ The structure ofthe Settlement Agreements pledging.; a percentage (-W tax <br /> increment to a specific person. entity or- purpose, was typical of many redevelopment <br /> transactions, and there is no indication in the Dissolution Act that the Legislature intended to <br /> invalidate these types of agreements (nor could they, without violating the constitutional <br /> prohibition against impairing contracts4). <br /> In the May 24 letter, the DOF also challenges the Successor Agency's obligation to enter <br /> into agreements For improvements as required by the Settlement Agreements, staling "ABx 1 26 <br /> does not allow successor agencies to enter into new contracts; any unencUrnbered balances <br /> should be remitted to the County Auditor Controller." The DOF cites language in Section 34176 <br /> that excludes low and moderate income housing lands 11-0111 the housing assets to be transferred <br /> to the successor housing agency- This section does not purport to invalidate enforceable <br /> obli<ations or prevent payment ofenforceable obligations using housing funds. In Fact, <br /> Section 341 77(I) expressly lists the Low and Moderate Income I IOlaSin" Funds as one source of <br /> payment Ibr enforceable obligations listed on the BOPS. Thus, the DOF's apparent position that <br /> otherwise legal and binding obligations payable Using housing funds are not enforceable <br /> obligations is contrary to the intent Ofthe legislature <br /> To the extent DOI-s determination that the Settlement Agreements are not enforceable <br /> obligations rests on an interpretation oflhe Dissolution Act to prohibit successor agencies Front <br /> entering into new agreements for any purpose, even if required to do so by an enforceable <br /> obligation- Ala 1484 clarified the legislature's intent to permit successor agencies to enter into <br /> ' Identical language is tOllnd in subparagraph (4) ofSection 34167(d), which defines "enforceable <br /> obligation" for purposes of Part 18 of the Dissolution Act- <br /> 4 4ee Article 1, Section 10, Clause I of the United States Constitution ("No State shall _ pass any Law <br /> impairing the Obligation of Contracts and Article 1, Section 9 ofthe C'alilornia Constitution ("A law <br /> impairing the obligation ofcontracts may not be passed.") <br /> 3-27 <br />