From last week, another loss in court for local anti-tax gadfly Bruce Hotze.
Hotze has filed four lawsuits about Prop 2, which sought a revenue cap on all city funds. Any revenues that exceeded the yearly cap would have to be returned to taxpayers. Voters did approve this plan in 2004, but more voters approved Prop. 1, which created a less restrictive revenue cap offered by Mayor Bill White. Hizzoner has argued that the cap with the most votes — his — should be the one implemented. Since then, Hotze has been in the courts, trying to force the city to enforce Prop. 2.
Let’s recap:
Today the 14th Court of Appeals threw out his lawsuit #4, saying Hotze had no legal standing to bring it. This was the same reason that the same court threw out his 2nd lawsuit # 2 in April (Chron.com story).
As far as the other lawsuits: #1 was Hotze’s victory, in which he forced the city to
certify the Prop. 2 election results with the Secretary of State. However, the certification had no effect on whether Prop. 2 actually went into effect. The city didn’t even both to appeal.And, #3 was also thrown out, but Hotze is appealing. That one has to do with the wording on the ballot and whether the election process was fair.
Poor Bruce. Maybe he should find a new hobby.
What is it with the name Hotze? Are Bruce and Steven related?
If they are then maybe it’s genetic.