Did Stockton, California File Bankruptcy Under Chapter 9?

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No, not yet. On February 28, 2012, the Stockton City Council voted to begin the confidential neutral evaluation process.  Like many municipalities across the nation Stockton is being squeezed by increased retirement costs, bond payments and decreased revenue from property tax, sales tax, business license and utility user tax.

California recently passed a law, AB 506, or Government Code Section 53760, that provides two possible paths to municipal bankruptcy under California law.  One path is the “Neutral Evaluation Process.”  The other path is declaring a fiscal emergency and adopts a resolution by a majority vote of the governing board pursuant to Government Code Section 53760.5.

What is the Neutral Evaluation Process?

The Neutral Evaluation Process (“NEP”) is initiated by the request of the public entity and giving notice by certified mail to all interested parties.  The interested parties then have 10 business days from the receipt of the request for NEP to respond.  If the interested parties choose to participate in the NEP then the public entity and interested parties need to agree on whom the neutral evaluator will be and what process will be used to resolve the dispute.  If the no evaluator can be agreed upon within 7 business days after the parties agree to the NEP then the public entity shall select five qualified neutral evaluators and provide their names, references and backgrounds to the participating interested parties.  The participating parties then have 3 business days a majority of the participating parties can strike up to four of the neutral evaluator proposed by the public entity.  If the participating parties strike less than four of the proposed neutral evaluators, then the public entity may choose which of the remaining evaluators will be selected.

A neutral evaluator should have experience and training in dispute resolution and should meet at least one of the following qualifications: (1) At least 10 years of high-level business or legal practice involving bankruptcy or service as a United States Bankruptcy Judge; (2) Professional experience or training in municipal finance and one or more of the following issue areas: (A) Municipal organization; (B) Municipal debt restructuring; (C) Municipal finance dispute resolution; (D) Chapter 9 bankruptcy; (E) Public finance; (F) Taxation; (G) California constitutional law; (H) California labor law and (I) Federal labor law.

The NEP can only last 60 days from the date the evaluator is selected unless the parties agree otherwise.  The public entity will pay for half of the costs of for the evaluator.  The NEP will end if any of the following occur: (1) The parties execute an settlement agreement; (2) The parties reach an agreement or proposed plan of readjustment that requires the approval of a bankruptcy judge; (3) The neutral evaluation process has exceeded 60 days following the date the neutral evaluator was selected, the parties have not reached an agreement, and neither the local public entity or a majority of the interested parties elect to extend the neutral evaluation process past the initial 60-day time period; (4) The local public entity initiated the neutral evaluation process pursuant to subdivision (a) and received no responses from interested parties within the time specified in subdivision (b) and (5) The fiscal condition of the local public entity deteriorates to the point that a fiscal emergency is declared pursuant to Section 53076.5 and necessitates the need to file a petition and exercise powers pursuant to applicable federal bankruptcy law.  If the NEP is unsuccessful then the public entity may file for protection under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code.  See California Government Code Section 53760.3.

What is declaring a Fiscal Emergency?

A public entity may also file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 9 in California if the public entity declares a fiscal emergency and adopts a resolution by a majority vote of the governing board at public hearing.  At the public hearing, a finding that the financial state of the local public entity jeopardizes the health, safety or well-being of the residents of the public entity. See California Government Code Section 53760.5.

Stockton, California Participating Parties in the NEP

The City of Stockton, California has started the NEP and the participating parties are as follows: Association of Retired Employees of the City Of Stockton; Assured Guaranty; California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS); Dexia Credit Local, New York Branch; Franklin Advisers, Inc.; Jarvis/MUD case; Mid-Management/Supervisory Level Unit (Management B&C Employees); National Public Finance Guarantee Corp.; Operating Engineers’ Local 3; Price case; Stockton City Employees’ Association (SCEA); Stockton Firefighters’ Local 456; Stockton Fire Management Unit; Stockton Police Management Association; Stockton Police Officers’ Association (SPOA); Union Bank, NA; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as indenture trustee for the following bonds: (1) Redevelopment Authority of the City of Stockton Revenue Bonds, Series 2004 (Stockton Events Center Arena Project) (2)Stockton Public Financing Authority Lease Revenue Bonds, Series 2004 (Parking and Capital Projects) (3) Stockton Public Financing Authority 2006 Lease Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series A (4) Stockton Public Financing Authority Variable Rate Demand Lease Revenue Bonds, 2007 Series A and 2007 Series B (Taxable) (Building Acquisition Financing Project) (5) City of Stockton 2007 Taxable Pension Obligations Bonds, Series A and Series B (6) Stockton Public Financing Authority Lease Revenue Bonds, 2009 Series A (Capital Improvement Projects) (7) Stockton Public Financing Authority Variable Rate Demand Water Revenue Bonds, Series 2010A (Delta Water Supply Project).

Stockton and the participating interested parties have selected a neutral evaluator and are beginning the negotiation process.  Hopefully the parties can find some common ground and avoid having to file bankruptcy under Chapter 9.

For more information about the municipal bankruptcy process under California law or information from a bankruptcy attorney you may reach us toll free at 1-877-963-9543.