San Diego — In a decision that could have a sweeping impact across California, a new state appeals court ruling may ease approval of local tax increases if they are placed on the ballot by citizen’s initiative instead of by a government agency.
The ruling by the Fourth District Court of Appeal could allow such tax increases, including one the Chargers may propose for a new downtown stadium, to be approved by a simple majority instead of two-thirds of voters.
Attorneys from across California offered divergent opinions on Wednesday about whether the ruling does indeed eliminate the two-thirds requirement, and also disagreed about its chances of eventually being overturned by the state Supreme Court.