Refund
Challenging the Fee and Claiming a Refund
(Please note: Unfortunately, the time has likely passed to join our class action if you have not done so already. We leave these instructions here for your reference.)
You must pay your bill. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE DUE DATE. You may have fewer than 30 days to pay. If you are late, a penalty and interest are added. Moreover, the fee is a lien on your property, and failure to pay can result in foreclosure.
We at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association believe this fee is really an illegal tax under Proposition 13. We plan to challenge the constitutionality of this tax in court.
Should we prevail, the court may order refunds. To qualify for a refund you must have paid your bill and filed a “Petition for Redetermination” with the responsible agencies.
For convenience, we have posted the form below with the grounds for challenging the fee already filled in. Page 2 contains instructions for completing the form.
When you pay your fee, we recommend that you write “under protest” on the notation line of your check. Also, make a copy of the check so that you can enclose it with your Petition for Redetermination form, as proof of payment.
You must submit the Petition WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE OF YOUR BILL to the address as directed on the form.
If you have further questions, click here. This will take you to the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of this website.
To stay updated if any further actions need to be taken, sign up for our email updates.