Cochise County supervisors approve $130,000 settlement in LaChance election challenge

The Cochise County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 to approve a $130,000 settlement in Daniel LaChance et al v. Cochise County, CV2023-000363, during a special meeting in which county counsel described the agreement’s terms and next steps. The settlement, as described to the board, includes a payment of $130,000, a suspension of the contested tax and provisions for putting an election on the November 2025 ballot.

The vote ends active county-level opposition to the case and, according to the county’s counsel, avoids further litigation costs that could be substantially higher. Supervisor Gomez (District 2) said the public may not realize how much litigation could have cost the county. “I think the public doesn't understand that we actually by settling and paying a hundred 30,000, we could have paid much, much more if we continued,” Gomez said.

The agreement and the board’s discussion

Supervisor Crosby (District 1), acting as chair, opened the special meeting and asked county counsel to outline the settlement terms. Mr. Lasota described a recent court hearing in which the court said it…