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Council joins Columbus amicus brief backing Cincinnati in taxpayer-standing case
Summary
Athens City Council voted to join an amicus brief drafted by the City of Columbus in support of the City of Cincinnati in a case before the Ohio Supreme Court about taxpayer standing; the Law Director said the request came via the Ohio Municipal League and requires no financial commitment from Athens.
The Athens City Council voted June 16 to join an amicus brief, prepared by the City of Columbus, in support of the City of Cincinnati in a case pending before the Ohio Supreme Court that concerns taxpayer standing to bring a lawsuit.
The Law Director told council the Ohio Municipal League contacted multiple municipalities asking them to sign on to the brief. The matter, described by the Law Director, involves a plaintiff (identified in the meeting as Mark Miller) who sued the City of Cincinnati claiming personal standing in a taxpayer lawsuit; a lower court had ruled in Cincinnati’s favor and the case has been taken up by the Ohio Supreme Court.
“The Ohio Municipal League has asked for other support. All we have to do is give our moral support basically. We don't have any financial obligation in this,” the Law Director said during the communications section of the meeting.
Council moved and seconded a motion to join the amicus brief and adopted it by voice vote. There was no recorded financial commitment; the Law Director characterized Athens’ participation as moral support requested by the municipal league.
Council members did not request additional briefings on the legal issues during the meeting. The vote memorializes Athens’ position in support of the lower-court ruling in the Cincinnati case, as requested by the Ohio Municipal League and the City of Columbus’ filing.
