Chapter 4 — Tax Procedure Law [Adopted by Ord. 1]

Taxable property in the City shall be assessed to the persons owning, claiming, possessing, or controlling it, at 12:00 o'clock meridian on the first Monday of March of each year. All tax liens shall attach annually as of 12:00 o'clock meridian on the first Monday of March of each year preceding a fiscal year for which the taxes are levied.

The foregoing provisions shall not apply to taxes assessed or levied for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1954, and ending June 30, 1955, or for tax liens which attached on May 1, 1954, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1954, and ending June 30, 1955, all taxable property heretofore being so assessed at 12:00 meridian on May 1, 1954, and all tax liens having heretofore attached at 12:00 meridian on May 1, 1954, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1954, and ending June 30, 1955.

From and after the effective date of this Chapter the duties of assessing property and of collecting taxes, provided by law to be performed by the Assessor and the Tax Collector of the City, shall be performed by the County Assessor and the County Tax Collector of the County of Los Angeles, State of California, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 51500 through 51519 of the Government Code of said State.

ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER 5 City Funds and Records

Part 1

City Funds[Adopted by Ord. 1]

A fund is hereby created for capital outlays under the provisions of Sections 53730 to 53737 of the Government Code.

Such fund shall be known as "Special Fund for Capital Outlays" and it shall remain inviolate for the making of any capital outlays and no moneys shall be disbursed therefrom except as provided in Section 53736 and other sections and provisions of the Government Code of the State of California.

Taxes may be levied upon the taxable property in said City for the raising of monies in said fund but in making a levy the legislative body shall not exceed any limits upon its right to impose taxes prescribed by law, except as authorized by law.

The City Council may in its discretion transfer to such fund any unencumbered surplus funds remaining on hand in the City at the end of any fiscal year.

There is hereby established a Payroll Revolving Fund in the amount of $40,000.00 to be maintained and replenished out of the General Fund of the City, and there shall be deposited in said Payroll Revolving Fund from the General Fund the sum of $40,000.00.

All monies in said fund shall be expended exclusively for payroll purposes.

All expenditures out of said fund and shall be audited by the City Council prior to payment but shall be presented by the City Administrator to the City Council for ratification and approval at the first meeting after the delivery of the payroll warrants. Upon presentation to the City Council by the City Administrator of an itemized statement of expenditures out of said fund, audited and approved by the City Administrator, the City Council may authorize the reimbursements to said fund of the amount so audited and approved.

Payroll warrants and checks need not be audited by the City Council prior to payment but shall be presented by the City Administrator to the City Council for ratification and approval at the first meeting after the delivery of the payroll warrants. Upon presentation to the City Council by the City Administrator of an itemized statement of expenditures out of said fund, audited and approved by the City Administrator, the City Council may authorize the reimbursements to said fund of the amount so audited and approved.

There is hereby created in the city treasury a special fund to be known as "Special Gas Tax Street Improvement Fund."

All monies received by the City from the State of California under the provisions of the Street and Highways Code for the acquisition of real property or interests therein for, or the construction, maintenance or improvement of streets or highways other than State highways shall be paid into said fund.

All monies in said fund shall be expended exclusively for the purposes authorized by, and subject to all the provisions of Article 5, Chapter 1, Division 1 of the Streets and Highways Code.

A special fund is hereby created in the City Treasury to be known as the "Cash Bond Fund" into which fund shall be deposited all cash bonds accepted by the City council pursuant to the provisions of this Code or any other ordinance or resolution of said City under the terms of which a cash bond is deposited with the City. Funds may be withdrawn from said "Cash Bond Fund" only upon warrant drawn and approval in the normal manner and upon certification by the proper officer having supervision of the performance of such agreement as to the partial completion or final completion and acceptance of the work to be performed under such agreement.

A special fund is hereby created in the City Treasury to be known as the "Park and Recreation Facilities Fund" in which shall be deposited all finds derived from the taxation of the construction of dwelling units. All monies in said Fund shall be expended exclusively for the acquisition, construction and installation of park and recreation land and facilities.

Part 2

Claims, Demands and Warrants[Adopted by Ord. 1]

All claims for money or damages against the City shall be filed, presented and acted upon as provided in the Government Code of the State of California and as provided in this Part. Such claims shall be presented to the City Council in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Government Code, and if not so presented or acted upon by the City Council within the time specified by law shall be deemed rejected as provided by law. Any person may appear before the City Council in respect to the allowance or denial in whole or in part of any claim or demand made against the City.

All claims for money or damages where not required by law and invoices and obligations due and owing by the City as established by contract, agreement or purchase order, or otherwise by law shall be audited by the Director of Finance and approved by the City Administrator, both as to accuracy thereof and the availability of funds for payment.

All claims for money or damages where a claim is required to be filed by law shall be in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Government Code of the State of California. For this purpose the City Clerk shall prepare and have available printed forms in duplicate for use of all claimants. Each claim shall be stamped received by the City Clerk and given a claim number.

Each claim for money or damages, where a claim is required by law, shall be submitted to the City Administrator within five days of the receipt thereof for audit and approval by him. The City Administrator may, in his discretion, refer said claim or demand to the City Attorney for a report to said City Administrator when said City Administrator deems the same necessary. The City Administrator shall audit such claims and report on such claims, whether approved or not, to the City Council within thirty days of the date said claim was first received; said report shall contain the finding and recommendations of the City Administrator. All claims and demands shall be submitted to the City Council for final approval or rejection, and said City Council shall audit said claims and demands as required by law. However, if any such claim is not presented to the City Council within the time authorized by law for action thereon by the City Council, all such claims shall be deemed denied, regardless of the foregoing, where so provided by law, unless City Council should take action thereon to the contrary.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, all payroll warrants, checks, drafts, itemized statements of expenditures, invoices, and authorized or approved claims or demands against the City for money or damages shall be first audited and approved by the Director of Finance prior to payment thereof.

If the City Council finds that any claim or demand is not a proper charge against the City, it shall be rejected by minute motion, and the fact of rejection shall be plainly endorsed upon the claim by the City Clerk. The City Clerk shall also within five (5) days of the action of the City Council notify the claimant or his authorized representative in writing of the action of the City Council, and the fact of rejection of said claim.

If any claim or demand is determined by the City Council to be a proper charge against the City, the same shall be allowed by resolution or minute order setting forth as to each claim the name of the claimant, a brief statement of the claim, the amount allowed, and a designation of the fund out of which it is to be paid. In such event the City Clerk shall notify the claimant or his authorized representative in writing within five (5) days of the action of the City Council of the foregoing facts.

Any claim may be allowed in part and rejected in part by the City Council.

If any claim or demand be allowed and approved by the City Council, the City Clerk shall endorse upon such claims the words "Allowed by the City Council of the City of Lakewood" together with the date of such allowance, and for what amount and from what fund, and the City Clerk shall attest the same with her signature. The City Clerk shall thereupon deliver said claim and a check therefor to the City Administrator with a copy of the resolution or minute order allowing the same.

The City Council hereby adopts this procedure as an alternate procedure to that specified for drawing warrants in Section 37203 of the Government Code of the State of California, and pursuant to said Section 37203 all warrants or voucher checks of the City of Lakewood shall be drawn by the City Clerk or Deputy City Clerk, and all warrants or voucher checks shall be signed by the city Treasurer, if there is one, and if not, by the City Clerk and countersigned by the Mayor or Mayor pro tern in the absence of the Mayor. The designation of the City Treasurer herein is not intended to refer to or designate the County Treasurer or Auditor to whom the functions of the City Treasurer have been transferred by ordinance and contract. The designation of City Treasurer herein is intended to apply only if the City of Lakewood should at some future time establish its own City Treasurer. In any event, at least one of the foregoing municipal officers must have executed an official bond to the City covering the faithful performance by such officer of the duties of his office. All warrants or voucher checks shall be supported by vouchers approved by the City Administrator.

Except as otherwise provided by law, no warrants shall be drawn or evidence of indebtedness issued unless there be at the time sufficient money in the treasury legally applicable to the payment of the same.

Wherever the words "warrant" or "check" are used in this Code, "warrant" or "check" shall mean voucher checks.