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Mission Viejo City Council To Remain Intact After Appeals Court Ruling
An OC judge ruled in August that three Mission Viejo City Councilmembers needed to vacate their seats by the end of September. An appeals court has stayed that decision.
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
)
Topline:
Mission Viejo's full city council can keep on working, for now. An appeals court granted temporary relief from an earlier ruling that three of the city's five councilmembers needed to step down this month.
What’s new: That ruling, announced Thursday, comes after the city council handed over much of its power to the city manager earlier this week in case it had to disband.
The backstory: In 2018, three city councilmembers were elected to two-year terms because the city was going to change the way it voted in 2020. That got delayed, but the councilmembers stayed in office and, eventually, some residents sued them and won.
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What’s next: It’s definitely not over. The appeals court is still reviewing the lower court ruling. In the meantime, the court says the councilmembers in question can keep their seats. The parties have until Oct. 18 to file additional information to help the court reach a final decision.
Go deeper: An Orange County City Could Soon Be Without A Functioning Government. Here's Why You Should Care
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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