You Can Fight City Hall. We Can Help.

Don’t let the government take advantage of you or misuse your hard-earned money. Our Proposition 218 and Proposition 26 lawyers are here for you.

Fighting For Residents Of California Everyday

You Can Fight City Hall. We Can Help.

Don’t let the government take advantage of you or misuse your hard-earned money. Our Proposition 218 and Proposition 26 lawyers are here for you.

Fighting For Residents Of California Everyday

Learn More

About Propositions 218 And 26
Ratepayer And Taxpayer Lawsuit FAQs
Business Litigation/Investment Fraud Cases

You Deserve To Know Where Your Money Goes

As a hardworking taxpayer in California, you deserve to know exactly where your money goes. At Benink & Slavens, LLP, our job is to make sure that’s the reality. We prevent local governments and other municipal entities from misusing funds, overcharging for civil services and collecting money for services they won’t provide. We’ve successfully litigated and won countless lawsuits against local cities, towns and special districts on behalf of taxpayers and ratepayers who have been overcharged for municipal services or who have paid illegal taxes.

The government is responsible for providing for their citizens, not the other way around. If your local government is not complying the constitutional mandates that Propositions 218 and 26 enshrined, we can assist you in analyzing your available legal challenges.

The Time To Act Is Now

Challenging the actions of local government can be time-consuming and complicated, but the statute of limitations on these cases is often short. If your municipal agency has committed an action barred by Proposition 218 or 26, call our firm today. In some circumstances, the lawsuit must be filed within 30 days of the misconduct, which means that every moment counts. Our legal team can discuss your options with you and help you take the proper action to protect your community.

Representation You Can Count On

There are many ways that local governments take advantage of their residents. From disguising taxes as “fees” to imposing property assessments that won’t actually benefit your property, we can help you determine what has gone wrong and how to fix it. We’re committed to representing every client with the tenacious advocacy they need and the knowledgeable guidance they expect.

Our Attorneys

Photo of Eric Benink
Eric J. Benink
Photo of Vincent David Slavens
Vincent D. Slavens

Our Successes

$295 million

Class action lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles alleging its electric utility rates were taxes under Proposition 218.

$40 million

Class action lawsuit against the city of San Diego alleging inequitable sewer fees. Result: $40 million was returned to residential ratepayers.

$12 million

Los Angeles Superior Court settlement providing $12 million in return of transfers of water and sewer fees from City’s general fund.

$10 million

Riverside Superior Court Case that challenged water fee transfers to City’s general fund resulted in a settlement restoring $10 million.

$7.2 million

A Los Angeles Superior Court case challenging transfers to the city’s general fund resulted in a $7.2 million settlement.

Our Successes

$40 million

Class action lawsuit against the city of San Diego alleging inequitable sewer fees. That suit resulted in $40 million being returned to residential ratepayers.

$12 million

Los Angeles Superior Court Case (settlement providing $12 million in return of transfers of water and sewer fees from City’s general fund)

$10 million

Riverside Superior Court Case (challenging water fee transfers to City’s general fund (settlement restoring $10 million))

$7.2 million

Los Angeles Superior Court Case  (challenging transfers to City’s general fund (settlement restoring $7.2 million))