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Court Rejects Vehicle License Fee Lawsuit

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Fund for Local Reporting! A student group lost a bid before the California Supreme Court Thursday to invalidate Gov. Schwarzenegger’s reduction in the vehicle license fee and corresponding cuts to education and other programs.

The high court denied the lawsuit filed last month by the University of California Student Association and two other student advocacy groups, but ruled the plaintiffs could re-file the case in a lower court.

The student advocates had argued the governor’s executive order last November to repeal a $4 billion vehicle license fee hike violated California law because the state lacked the money to offset the cuts. In December, Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency allowing him to cut $148 million, including $24 million from the state university system.

UCSA Executive Director Liz Geyer said she had not decided whether or not to take the case to a lower court.

“If we won through the superior court, the cuts would still have to be restored, but taking a long time is definitely a concern,” said.

Joining the UCSA on the lawsuit were the Equal Justice Society and Californians for Justice.



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