HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-11-19; City Council; N/A; Fair Responsibility Act of 1986,
:" TAXPAYERS for
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111 Anza Boulevard, Suite 406 ~hfomta ~10 • (415) 340-0470
County Supervisors
Association of California
League of California
Cities
California Chamber
of Commerce
California Tl'lxpayers
Association
California Manufacturers
Association
Association for California
Tort Reform
California Medical
Association •
California Hospital
Association
Association of Cahiorrna
Insurance Companies
Alliance of
.American Insurers
(Parlial Listing)
John H. Hodgson II,
Treasurer
I.D. #850827
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October 28, 1985
Dear City Officiai:
You recently received information from the
League of California Cities outlining the
effort by a coalition of government, business
and health care organizations to change
Califor_nia' s unfair "deep pockets" law. This
coalition--Taxpayers for Fair Responsibility--
includes the County Supervisors Association of
California, the League, California Chamber of
Commerce, California Taxpayers Association,
California Medical Association, California
Hospital Association and California Manufac-
turers Association. The initiative supported
by the coalition, the Fair Responsibility Act
of 1986, contains virtually the same provi-
sions as SB 75.
Your assistance is critically important to the
success of this effort. The support of each
council member individually, and the collec-
tive endorsement of every city, will help the
public to realize that "deep pockets" is a
taxpayer issue--and that reform will mean the
savings of millions of taxpayer dollars.
The League, by resolution at its annual meet-
ing, has made "deep pockets" reform a top
priority. You ca~ help immediately in the
following ways:
1) Sign and return the enclosed endorse-
ment card
2) Help persuade your full council to
adopt the enclosed resolution. We
would like to have resolutions from
all boards by December 1. When it is
passed, please send a copy to the
Campaign office.
3) Contact S to 10 key community leaders
to help with this effort (service club
presidents, key business and profes-
sional people,etc.).
4) Contact your local state legislators--
both Assembly and Senate members--and
ask them to endorse the initiative.
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5) Circulate petitions. If you would like to help
collect signatures, please contact the Taxpayers
for Fair Responsibility campaign office at
(415) 340-0470.
Ml time spent !2Y. £.ill officials QD. qualifying_ Q.I. advocating
tllll. ballot measure~~ volunteer time. NQ. g_,ily money,
~taff time, Q.I. ~ resources ma~~ spent to ™.li.f.Y ~
initiative, Ci.u money and resources, including staff time
and office equipment. may be spent to provide objective
information on ballot measurefu. but not to advocate, Viola-
tion. of these prohibitions can result in. both civil and
criminal penalties,
Working together, we can restore fairness to the law and save
our cities millions of much-needed taxpayers' dollars.
Please contact Ethie weaver, state Field Director, at the
Campaign office if you need additional information.
Sincerely,
~~,...t..
Richards. Woodward
Campaign r1anager
Taxpayers for Fair Responsibility
Enclosures
l RESOI.OTION ro. 8269
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3 WHEREAS, the resent joint and several liability law, also know as the "Deep
4 Pocket Doctrine", has unfairly oost the cities of California millions of
5 dollars in oourt judgerrents, settlements, legal oosts, skyrocketing insurance
6 premiums and difficulty in ootaining crlequate liability insurance ooveragei and
7 WHEREAS, this same dxtrine has also oost other governmental bodies,
a business f irrns and professionals many millions of dollars; and
9 WHEREAS, ultimately this oost is unfairly borne by the taxpayers and
10 consumers of California; and
11 WHEREAS, many cities, other governmental bodies, business firms and
12 professionals are selected as defendants in lawsuits nerely because of their
13 perceived assets or insurance and often are found only fractionally at fault
14 cannot payi and
15 WHEREAS, the oost of this is unfairly lx>rne by the taxpayers and oonsurrers
16 of california; and
17 WHEREAS, the "Fair Responsibility Act of 1986" is an initiative neasure
18 that would give the voters of california an cpportunity to reform the
19 inequities and injustices of the "Deep Pocket Doctrine" by oolding liability
20 lawsuit defendants financially liable in closer proportion to their degree of
21 .fault; now, therefore be it
22 RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Carlsbad erxlorse the "Fair
23 Responsibility Act of 1986" and urge its support and passage to relieve the
24 financial strain inposed on local govenment and its taxpayers.
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l PASSED, APPROVED, AN"D AOOyfoD by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad,
2 State of California., on this 19th day of Novenber, 1985, by the following vote:
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AYES: Council Members Lewis, Kulchin, Chick and Pettine
NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Casler
10 A'l'l'EST:
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ALETHA L. RAU'l'mKRANz,citycer
(SEAL)