State Ex Rel. California State Lands Commission v. City of Long Beach

Opinion

BOLAND, J.

SUMMARY

The City of Long Beach (the City) is the owner of the Long Beach tidelands, holding them in trust for the people of the State of California for purposes of navigation, commerce and fishing. The City derives oil revenue from the Long Beach tidelands, a substantial portion of which has been freed from the public trust as no longer necessary for trust purposes. The freed revenues must be paid to the State of California (the State), which may use them for any purpose. The City is permitted to retain, out of oil revenue each month, an amount equal to all subsidence costs…