§ 51945 City-County Debt Taxation

Government Code·California

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Key Takeaways

•If a city or county owes money before they combine, they still have to pay it back.
•The combined city-county government must collect taxes to pay off these old debts.
•The rules for paying back the debt can be changed if the city-county's charter says so.

Example

Before two towns merged into one, Town A borrowed money to fix its roads. After merging, the new town still has to pay back that money.

The new combined town must collect taxes to pay off Town A's old road debt, unless their new rules say something different.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 51945 City-County Debt Taxation

The legislative body of the city-county shall levy and collect the taxes necessary to pay the indebtedness or liability of each city and the county incurred prior to reorganization within the city or the county which incurred such indebtedness, except as may be otherwise provided in the charter. (Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 972.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

liability obligation constitution reorganization

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Government Code. Section 51945.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

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References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References