Residents living in the city of LA have cash coming to them after the City agreed to pay $92.5 million a class action lawsuit, according to a City-run site.
Any person living in LA that paid for telephone utility user taxes between October 19, 2005 and March 15, 2008 is eligible for a cash refund, according to the city’s refund site.
This type of tax is usually collected by service providers and appear as charges on landline and mobile telephone bills.
The breakdown of payout:
$50 – LA resident who paid taxes for a cellphone (not including prepaid mobile service)
$30 – LA resident who paid taxes for a residential landline phone
$50 – LA resident who paid taxes for a business landline phone
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Residents can file one claim and check multiple boxes depending on if they owned landlines and cellphones during the time period between 2005 and 2008 and get as much as $130.
Claims must be filed before February 20, 2016.
Residents also have the option of speaking at the hearing about the fairness of the settlement, which is on February 25, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. The notice warned that attending the hearing was at the resident’s own expense.
If a resident wants to fight for the actual amount of taxes paid during the time period, you’ll have to have a copy of your phone bills or other proof that you paid.
If residents would rather donate the funds, they can check the corresponding circle on the claim for the The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, The Library Foundation of Los Angeles, The Animal Welfare Trust Fund of the City of Los Angeles Animal Services, or The Los Angeles Parks Foundation
Visit the City’s website to file a claim.
Residents with questions can also call 1-888-643-6490.