Countywide

A lawsuit challenging the state’s method of distributing property taxes was authorized Wednesday by county supervisors, Supervisor George Bailey announced.

If successful, the lawsuit would force the state to provide equal funding statewide for required programs and equalize the percentage of general property tax income received by the state’s 58 counties, said Bailey, who proposed the suit.

He said San Diego County currently receives the lowest funding per capita for drug abuse prevention programs and the second lowest for alcohol programs. For mental health, the county gets $13.36 per capita while San Francisco County receives $41, Bailey said. The state returns to San Diego 24% of each property tax dollar paid here, while the statewide average is 33%.

The lower funding prevents the county from providing proper levels and quality of care, Bailey said. So far, the county’s delegation in the state Legislature has been unable to correct the imbalance, he said.

“The courts are our only hope,” he said.