Politics & Government

Cerritos Mayor Disappointed in High Court's Ruling to End Redevelopment Agencies

Cerritos Mayor Carol K. Chen issues a statement in response to Thursday morning's California Supreme Court ruling to end redevelopment agencies statewide.

In response to the , which dissolves redevelopment agencies throughout the state, Cerritos Mayor Carol K. Chen issued the following statement:

“The City of Cerritos is gravely disappointed by the California Supreme Court’s decision which eliminates redevelopment. This traumatic decision will have a catastrophic, long-lasting financial impact on cities throughout the State of California.

“The City pledges to make every possible effort to develop new legislation that will allow redevelopment to continue. The City is joining in the League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association’s efforts to work with state legislators to develop legislation to revive redevelopment to protect local communities, job creation and our economy. The City of Cerritos, along with nine other cities, also filed a separate legal challenge in Sacramento Superior Court. This lawsuit raises constitutional claims which were not addressed in the California State Supreme Court decision on December 29, 2011. A copy of the complaint can be viewed on the City’s website at cerritos.us.

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“Redevelopment has been extremely important to the City of Cerritos for 40 years. Property tax paid to the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency, known as “tax increment,” has funded such projects as the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station/Community Safety Center, the Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park, one gym at Cerritos High School, one gym at Gahr High School, the gym at Whitney High School, Heritage Park Play Island, Liberty Park, the Cerritos Park East Community Center, and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Property tax increment also funded the construction of the City’s affordable senior housing projects, such as Emerald Villas, Pioneer Villas, Vintage Cerritos and Fountain Walk. Without redevelopment, none of these community facilities would have been possible.

“Redevelopment was also essential for the developments of the Cerritos Towne Center, Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos Auto Square and Cerritos Industrial Park. The financial success of these projects has benefited the entire southeast Los Angeles County region as there are thousands of people employed in the businesses located in these developments. These employees spend their salaries in cities throughout the region, making a significant contribution to local economies.”

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(A copy of the complaint filed on Sept. 26, 2011 is available for viewing in the image carousel.)


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