$12.5 billion-a-year property tax hike will result in more voters, businesses moving out of state
SACRAMENTO, CA – Last week, Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, wrote an opinion piece for The Daily News cautioning legislators that Californians have had enough and are on the verge of another taxpayer revolt. Coupal warns the $12.5 billion-a-year split-roll property tax hike that is currently gathering signatures to qualify for the November 2020 ballot will increase prices for consumers and drive up costs for the goods and services we buy every day. Coupal argues the property tax hike, which is the largest tax increase in state history, will make life more difficult for California families and small businesses, pushing many to move out of state. His op-ed ran in all 11 of the Southern California News Group newspapers.
Read excerpts of Coupal’s op-ed, “Another California tax revolt,” below:
“Sadly, California politicians have forgotten about the taxpayer revolt that occurred just over four decades ago. The Golden State now has the highest gas tax, state income tax and state sales tax, which has translated to the highest percentage of population living in poverty and nearly the highest cost of living in the country.
“This time, instead of tossing tea into the harbor or heading to the polls to vote for change, Californians are revolting by voting with their feet and moving out of state…
“Despite all this, Sacramento politicians and special interests are pushing for higher taxes even after the Legislative Analyst projected a $7 billion budget surplus for the year 2020-21...
“And, if that’s not bad enough, an initiative collecting signatures to qualify for the November 3, 2020 ballot would raise property taxes by $12.5 billion a year.
“The measure would remove Proposition 13’s protections for commercial and industrial properties and tax them based on their current market value, rather than the purchase price.
“Ultimately, higher taxes on businesses mean higher costs for everything we buy, including rent, groceries, gasoline, restaurants, prescriptions, clothing, daycare, health care and much more…
“It is clear that California is on the verge of another taxpayer revolt. Whether it is voting against higher taxes at the ballot box or packing up their bags and moving out of state, California families have had enough.”
Californians to Stop Higher Property Taxes, a coalition of businesses, taxpayers, homeowners and renters, has been fighting to protect Proposition 13 and oppose a split roll for more than a decade. For more information, please visit www.StopHigherPropertyTaxes.
org.
###