Two of three former employees of the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office who took the county to court over alleged sweetheart treatment for politically connected property owners have come away with sizable payouts. A judge signed a March 11 judgment awarding Stephen Adamus $570,000 and Yvonne Austin $255,000, while co-plaintiff Scott Woods received no damages. The lawsuit accused top officials of reversing tax rulings and using expedited “executive referrals” to help well-connected owners, allegations that have lingered around the office since 2019.
The three former staffers said they were pushed to alter assessments and drop cases involving influential taxpayers, and that the office sometimes undid decisions even after an assessment appeals board had ruled against a property owner. The complaint cited several examples, including a disputed RAND Corp. exemption and a San Marino property swap tied to a county supervisor’s family. Those allegations were first laid out publicly when the suit was filed in 2019, according to the Los Angeles Times.
According to Los Angeles Superior Court records, Judge Christopher Lui signed the judgment on March 11, following a January jury verdict in favor of Adamus and specifying the dollar amounts awarded to Adamus and Austin. The ruling effectively wraps up a major phase of a case that has been grinding on since 2019, although post-trial motions or appeals could still keep it alive. The timing of the judgment...
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