STOP Files Suit Challenging City Clerk's Kings Arena Petition Ruling

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — One day after the final renderings for a new Sacramento Kings arena were released, a group trying to put a city subsidy for that arena to a vote filed suit against the city clerk.

Attorney Bradley W. Hertz filed the suit on behalf of Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork on Wednesday.

The group filed a petition to put a $258 million subsidy from the city to a vote on the June ballot. STOP had gathered more than the necessary number of signatures for the ballot.

However, City Clerk Shirley Concolino ruled last week that there were inconsistencies in the wording of the submitted petitions and all of them lacked an enacting clause. As a result, the signatures were thrown out.

STOP believes a judge will have a different opinion, and hopes the judge will approve the petitions so voters can see decide on the funding in June.

"We hope the court will agree with us that city clerk attacked erroneously and rejecting the petition and the court will order the city to process the petition," Hertz said.

A judge could review the lawsuit this week, and a hearing could be set for next month.

The city and the Kings hope to start construction of the arena this summer, which would be difficult if the subsidy is put to a June vote.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Treasurer Russell Fehr said the city is currently carrying $2 billion in debt, and that's before borrowing around $200 million more to give to the Kings. With interest, that $200 million would ultimately cost the city $700 million to pay off.