Opinion ID: 2631711
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Is mitigation infeasible because a contribution by the Trustees to FORA would amount to a prohibited gift of public funds?

Text: The Trustees next argue that any payment to FORA made otherwise than under Government Code chapter 13.7 (§ 54999 et seq.) would constitute an illegal gift of public funds. (See Cal. Const., art. XVI, § 6.) [13] The argument invokes the court's statement in San Marcos, supra, 42 Cal.3d 154, 228 Cal.Rptr. 47, 720 P.2d 935, that the ability of the school district in that case to agree to pay [the disputed capacity] charge depend[ed] upon whether the [water] district ha[d] the power to impose it, and that payment of an invalid charge would amount to a `gift of public funds' in contravention of article XVI, section 6 of the California Constitution. ( San Marcos, at p. 167, 228 Cal. Rptr. 47, 720 P.2d 935, quoting County of Riverside v. Idyllwild County Water Dist., supra, 84 Cal.App.3d 655, 660, 148 Cal. Rptr. 650.) We have, however, already rejected the central premise of this argument, which is that a voluntary payment by the Trustees would constitute an assessment. In any event, the relevant law makes clear that a payment by the Trustees for the purpose of mitigating CSUMB's environmental effects would not constitute an unlawful gift of public funds. It is well settled that, in determining whether an appropriation of public funds or property is to be considered a gift, the primary question is whether the funds are to be used for a `public' or a `private' purpose. If they are for a `public purpose', they are not a gift within the meaning of [the Constitution]. ( County of Alameda v. Janssen (1940) 16 Cal.2d 276, 281, 106 P.2d 11.) Such a payment by the Trustees would have the public purpose of discharging their duty as a public agency, under the express terms of CEQA, to mitigate or avoid the significant effects on the environment of projects that [they] carr[y] out or approve[] whenever it is feasible to do so. (Pub. Resources Code, § 21002.1, subd. (b).)