California Couple’s Trash Tax Suit Revived by Appeals Court

A lawsuit accusing the city of Azusa of imposing an illegal tax disguised as trash and sewer fees was revived by a California appeals court, which said the suing couple didn’t need to exhaust certain administrative remedies.

Carlos and Ana Carachure aren’t making a refund claim, they’re arguing the franchises fees violate the state constitution, so their action falls outside the statutory framework that governs fee refunds that Azusa mistakenly asserted applies here, Judge John L. Segal of the California Court of Appeal said Tuesday.

• The city had argued the Carachures were supposed to pay the fees under protest in ...