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Oronoz v. County of Los Angeles

Check it out at http://www.utilitysettlement.com/faq.htm#1

You may have paid one or more utility bills that included an assessment of the Los Angeles County Utility User Tax and may be a Class Member based upon Utility User Tax payments that you made with payment of a utility bill(s).

What is the lawsuit about?
In this lawsuit, the Plaintiffs alleged that the Utility User Tax, Los Angeles County Code Chapter 4.62, is an illegal tax because of alleged violations of Proposition 62, Government Code sections 53720 to 53730, Proposition 13, California Constitution Article XIII, and state and federal Equal Protection rights. The County of Los Angeles denied the allegations in the lawsuit.

What is a class action?
In a class action lawsuit, one or more people called “Named Plaintiffs” or “Class Representatives” (in this case, Joe Oronoz, Larry Pitts, and Craig and Cheryl Kaufman) sue on behalf of other people who have similar claims. The people with similar claims together are a “Class” and the individuals are called “Class Members.” The County of Los Angeles is called the Defendant. The Court decides whether the proposed Settlement is fair, adequate and reasonable for everyone in the Class – except for those people who choose to exclude themselves from the Class.

Why is there a settlement?
The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiffs or Defendants. The Plaintiffs thought they would have won monetary compensation and injunctive relief if there was a trial, and Defendants thought that Plaintiffs would have won nothing.
But there was no trial. Instead, both sides agreed to the Settlement. That way, they avoided the cost of a trial, and the Class Members may get compensation. The Class Representatives and the lawyers for the Class think the Settlement is best for all Class Members.

Who is included in the Settlement?
The Court has defined the Class as all individuals who paid the Los Angeles County Utility User Tax at any time between February 16, 2004 and November 4, 2008.





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