SACRAMENTO, CA – Last week, esteemed Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton predicted that backers of the largest property tax hike in state history have “a tall hill to climb” to win approval from California voters. Skelton points out that voters resisted new and higher taxes in the March Primary Election, before the COVID-19 economic downturn and now have even more reason to oppose tax hikes.
Not to be deterred by an unprecedented economic crisis and record numbers of unemployment claims, proponents submitted petitions last week to qualify their $12.5-billion-a-year property tax hike measure for the November ballot. Unless defeated by voters, the measure’s higher property taxes will add more uncertainty to small businesses already struggling to stay afloat. It will also increase the cost of living for all Californians for everyday necessities like groceries, fuel, utilities, day care, and health care when they can least afford it.
Read excerpts from Skelton’s column, “With coronavirus on their minds, California voters probably aren’t in the mood to raise taxes” below:
In the March 3 primary, 61% of all local bond and tax measures failed. Combine that fact with the current virus-induced economic coma, and it would seem to doom any November ballot proposition that seeks to raise taxes — or squeeze money out of anybody…
That property tax hike always had a tall hill to climb. And it’s even steeper now…
But many voters have buyer’s remorse about the gas levy, and their grumpiness is rubbing off on other tax proposals…
That’s another reason why you’d think sponsors of the business property tax hike might back off trying to sell their measure until the next election in 2022. But they’re not…
The odds are heavily with the “no” side. By November, voters are likely to be even more sour.
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ABOUT CALIFORNIANS TO SAVE PROP 13 AND STOP HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES
Californians to Save Prop 13 and Stop Higher Property Taxes, a bipartisan coalition of homeowners, taxpayers, and businesses, has been fighting to protect Prop 13 and oppose a split-roll property tax for more than a decade. For more information, please visit www.StopHigherPropertyTaxes.org.