Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sacramento Court Blocks County's $30 Million Santa Clara RDA Money Grab


It looks like the County isn't going to be buttering its bread with Santa Clara's $30 million.

Sacramento County Superior Court judge Lloyd Connelly granted the San Francisco 49ers' motion to block Santa Clara County from distributing disputed Santa Clara Redevelopment Agency money earmarked for stadium construction. On June 22, 2012, the Santa Clara Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board voted 4-3 on an off-agenda motion to nullify the former RDA's contract with the 49ers to provide $30 million towards the Santa Clara stadium construction project.

Further, the Sacramento judge isn't buying Santa Clara County's inventive argument that contracts aren't enforceable if laws change, and is taking very seriously the Oversight Board's possible violation of California open public meeting law, the Brown Act. 

In his written decision, Judge Connelly explained that the restraining order was based on "a strong likelihood of the petitioner prevailing in this case, particularly on their Brown Act violation and contract termination claims." A hearing is set for July 27, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. and the judge said that he may rule on the merits of the case at that time.

The case, number 34-2012-80001192, can be found at can be found at www.saccourt.ca.gov