Suit claims county library system mislead voters during
campaign
A Saratoga attorney with a history of suing the county over parcel tax measures has filed a new complaint asking that the recent successful measure to fund the library system be overturned.
In his suit, Aaron Katz claims that the library system’s Joint Powers Authority sent out misleading campaign information and unlawfully directed public resources to fund its efforts.
Katz also says the election amounted to a bribe of voters who do not own property and would not directly pay the tax. His suit demands “a judgment declaring the election annulled and the voter approval obtained thereby rescinded.”
County Librarian Melinda Cervantes declined to comment on the suit other than to point out a similar suit Katz filed against the El Camino Hospital District, West Valley-Mission Community College District, and the Campbell Union High School District. That suit was dismissed by a Santa Clara County judge last week.
Katz also declined to comment for this article. Measure A, which extended for 10 years a $33.66 parcel tax to fund the library system passed on May 3 with 72 percent of the vote. Measure B, which would have assessed an additional $12 tax, fell short by 871 votes. Both measures needed a two-thirds majority.
The nine county libraries are located in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Milpitas, Los Altos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Monte Sereno, Campbell and Alum Rock.
Matt King covers Santa Clara County for The Morgan Hill Times. Reach him at 847-7240 or mk***@gi************.com.
