On Nov. 29, 1977, Frank Bozza appealed to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for an exemption to the recently passed ordinance that banned fortune telling. Bozza was an astrologer, and he attempted to distance himself from palm readers, mystics, numerologists and the like. He stated that he was certified by the state to teach astrology in adult school, had a radio program and a regular newspaper column.
But the Board of Supervisors was not impressed with his bonafides and his request was denied. However, his lucky stars illuminated a legal path forward as the Colfax city attorney reached out to let him know that as long as he practiced within the Colfax city limits, he could do so without fear of penalty for Colfax had no such ordinance.
The ordinance was initially drafted by Placer County Sheriff Don Nunes, who mirrored it after other such ordinances in the state. However, in 1984, a California appellate court ruled that such ordinances were a First Amendment violation, making them invalid. At the June 12, 1984, Board of Supervisors meeting, the ordinance was amended with all mention of fortune tellers deleted.
Photo: Placer County Sheriff Don Nunes, c. 1980
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