ARTICLE 4. Effects of Reorganization [51940. - 51953.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 4.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51940. Section 51940.

Upon reorganization, the cities are deemed dissolved and disincorporated and are merged together with the county into the City-County of Sacramento, and the charter of the largest city and the charter of the county shall be deemed repealed. The City-County of Sacramento is a charter city and a charter county. Its charter city powers supersede conflicting charter county powers.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51941. Section 51941.

Upon reorganization every special district within the county or exercising all or any part of its jurisdiction or powers within the county except as may be otherwise provided in the charter, is deemed dissolved. The functions of all such dissolved districts shall be assumed by the city-county government, except as may be otherwise provided in the charter. The provisions of Section 51942, 51943, 51944, and 51945 shall be applicable to the merger of every such special district merged with the city-county pursuant to this charter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51942. Section 51942.

When cities and a county are reorganized pursuant to this chapter, the reorganized city-county is the successor of each of the cities and the county so consolidated. Upon reorganization, the title to any property owned or held by, or in trust for, each of the cities and the county, or by their officers or boards in trust for public use, shall be vested in the city-county, or its officers or boards, except as may be otherwise provided in the charter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51943. Section 51943.

Immediately upon reorganization, all persons occupying or possessing the offices of each of the cities and the county shall surrender them to the proper officers of the city-county, except as may be otherwise provided in the charter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51944. Section 51944.

Except as otherwise provided in the charter, reorganization does not affect any debts, demands, liabilities, or obligations of any kind existing in favor of or against the cities and the county, at the time of reorganization. Reorganization does not affect any pending action or proceeding involving any such debt, demand, liability, or obligation or any action or proceeding brought by or against any city or the county prior to reorganization. All such proceedings shall be continued and concluded, by final judgment or otherwise, as if reorganization had not been effected. All such rights or liabilities become the rights and liabilities of the city-county; provided, however, that the charter may provide for certain debts, demands, liabilities or obligations which are payable by assessments or ad valorem taxes on properties within a district or area (such as within a former district or city) to remain payable from such assessments or ad valorem taxes within such a district or area as though reorganization had not occurred.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51945. Section 51945.

The legislative body of the city-county shall levy and collect the taxes necessary to pay the indebtedness or liability of each city and the county incurred prior to reorganization within the city or the county which incurred such indebtedness, except as may be otherwise provided in the charter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51946. Section 51946.

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2161), Part 4, Division 1, of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the charter shall contain provisions either establishing a limitation on the combined ad valorem property tax rate and increases in such tax rate which may be levied by the city-county and reorganized local jurisdictions under said charter or establishing a method to limit such combined ad valorem property tax rate or increases in such tax rate, to the extent that the California Constitution or state law applicable to the city-county from time to time may require such a limitation on the ad valorem property tax rate and increases in such rate by the city-county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51947. Section 51947.

Immediately upon reorganization, all ordinances of the cities and the county shall be deemed repealed. Such repeal shall not discharge any person from any existing civil or criminal liability, nor affect any pending prosecution for violation of any such ordinances, nor affect vested rights created pursuant to said ordinances. The charter may provide that ordinances of any city, reorganized and consolidated, or the county shall remain in effect and shall be applicable throughout the city-county until repealed by the legislative body of the city-county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51948. Section 51948.

The repeal of ordinances pursuant to Section 51947 shall not apply to: (a) Ordinances under which vested rights have accrued to the extent legally necessary to protect said vested rights. (b) Ordinances relating to proceedings for street or other public improvements, to the extent legally necessary to preserve said proceedings completed or pending. (c) Proceedings for opening, extending, widening, straightening, or changing the grade of streets or other public places. These proceedings shall be continued and conducted by the city-county, with the same effect as if continued and conducted by the city or county which commenced them.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51949. Section 51949.

Upon reorganization, the charter of the city-county shall have full effect throughout the city-county. The charter shall recognize the status of each of the other cities which have voted to retain their local governmental structure pursuant to Article 3 or their governmental independence pursuant to Article 3.5, whichever is applicable. The charter may provide for subgovernments, different tax rates, and other differences in taxation, services, costs of government and levels of service, and type of government representation and administration in different areas of the city-county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51950. Section 51950.

If reorganization is completed, all proper expenses of reorganization proceedings not otherwise provided for shall be paid by the county. If reorganization is not completed, the county shall pay the expenses of calling and holding any election within it at which the question of consolidation was submitted.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51951. Section 51951.

One copy of the charter ratified and approved in accordance with the provisions of this article shall be filed with the Secretary of State and one with the recorder in the city-county; and thereafter the courts shall take judicial notice of the provisions of such charter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51952. Section 51952.

This chapter shall not be construed to prevent any consolidated city-county from framing and adopting a new or revised charter after consolidation in which case the provisions of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 34450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 4 shall be applicable.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51953. Section 51953.

The charter may provide for the manner in which any of the other cities which has elected to retain its local governmental structure pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 51920) or its governmental independence pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 51939.50), whichever is applicable, may at any time become consolidated and merged into the city-county government following a majority vote of its voters voting thereon.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026