Topline:
A judge will soon decide whether taxpayers can view the details of a lucrative settlement agreement between the city of Huntington Beach and the operator of its annual airshow.
The backstory: The spat dates back to 2021, when a major oil spill fouled the beach in the middle of the annual airshow. The city canceled the second day of the show, citing the spill. The airshow operator, Code Four, sued, calling it a breach of contract. The city ultimately agreed to pay the company up to $7 million dollars. But the city has thus far refused to release the full terms of that settlement.
Why it matters: Gina Clayton-Tarvin, a Huntington Beach resident and local school board trustee, sued the city last year under the California Public Records Act after the city denied her request to view the full airshow settlement.
Why opinions over the settlement are divided: Some say the airshow promoter got a suspiciously sweet deal, and that the city may be hiding details of the settlement from the public that make it even sweeter. Others say Huntington Beach should do all it can to support the airshow, which brings in tourism dollars in the offseason.
What's next? Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge Jonathan Fish is expected to make a ruling in the case by summer. But the ruling could be appealed by either side.
Separately, on Tuesday, the state legislature's audit committee will decide whether to order an audit of the Huntington Beach airshow.
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