SACRAMENTO, CA: Yesterday, the state’s largest agriculture group, the California Farm Bureau Federation, opposed the split-roll property tax ballot measure. The organization argued that if Proposition 13’s protections for agriculture are destroyed, it will increase costs for California farmers by taxing everything from almond trees to dairies at current market value. Backers of the proposed initiative, which is the largest property tax increase in California history, are currently collecting signatures to qualify for the November 2020 ballot.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE NEW TAX ON AGRICULTURE:
Even the proponents of the measure admit it!
In their own words…“Commercial or industrial structures on agricultural land would be taxed at fair market value…for example, a dairy barn, food processing facilities, and wineries would be reassessed as they are commercial and industrial.”
—Schools and Communities First, Agriculture Fact Sheet, September 2019
“It’s unusual for the Farm Bureau to oppose a measure at this early stage, but our board of directors is very concerned about the impact this initiative would have on rural California. Although its backers claim agricultural land would not be affected, the initiative would trigger annual tax reassessments at market value for agricultural improvements such as barns, dairies, wineries, processing plants, vineyards and orchards. The split-roll measure would increase the tax burden on California farmers at a time when family farms and ranches already face threats to their water supplies and rising costs to comply with the state’s employment and environmental regulations.”
— Jamie Johansson, President, California Farm Bureau Federation
“Whether on a tree or vine, at a dairy or at a processing facility, every fresh fruit, vegetable and gallon of milk we buy at the grocery store will cost more under this property tax initiative. At a time when families are already struggling to make ends meet and provide healthy, farm-to-fork options for their families, we simply cannot afford the largest property tax increase in California history.”
— Rob Lapsley, President, California Business Roundtable and Co-Chair, Californians to Save Prop 13 and Stop Higher Property Taxes
In addition to the California Farm Bureau and other local farm bureaus, a list of all groups and organizations opposed to the split-roll property tax hike can be found here.
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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 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.