County of San Diego v. State of California

The County of San Diego (San Diego County) and the County of Orange (Orange County) separately filed actions against the State of California, the State Controller, the State Treasurer, and the Director of the state Department of Finance (collectively, the State) seeking reimbursement under article XIII B, section 6 of the California Constitution 3for the costs of providing state-mandated programs and services from the 1994-1995 fiscal year through the 2003-2004 fiscal year. Both complaints include a first cause of action for declaratory relief, a second cause of action entitled “Failure to Reimburse Mandated Costs,” and a third cause of action seeking a writ of mandate directing full payment on the Counties’ claims for reimbursement. The actions were consolidated by stipulation and tried to the court. The court entered judgment for each of the Counties in the amount of its total claim for reimbursement ($41,652,974 for San Diego County and $72,755,977 for Orange County), plus interest at the legal rate of 7 percent from the date each filed its complaint. The judgment also directed issuance of a writ of mandate requiring the State to pay the amount of the judgment plus…