Posted on 04/28/2009 9:45:37 AM PDT by SmithL
The state's perpetual budget crisis and the appointment of a commission to recommend changes in the state-local tax system have re-ignited a debate over property taxes that seemingly ended 31 years ago with passage of Proposition 13.
The landmark 1978 measure imposed a tight limit on property taxes, which previously had been the chief support for schools and local governments, and had the indirect effect of shifting much of that burden, especially for education, to the state.
Loosening Proposition 13 in some fashion would provide more money for local services and schools, ease the burden on the state and thus reduce its chronic budget deficits. Three decades after its passage, however, it remains very popular with voters, the vast majority of whom are homeowners.
There's almost no chance that Proposition 13's limits on residential property taxes would be touched, but liberals who want to see the state's budget crisis resolved with more revenues, rather than less spending, are intrigued by the notion of reducing its benefits to business property, thus boosting revenues by many billions of dollars.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
If you live in California, you need to start planning how you can leave. If an Earthquake doesn’t get you, your elected officials and the environmentalists will.
Loosening Proposition 13 in some fashion would provide more money for local services and schools, ease the burden on the state and thus reduce its chronic budget deficits.
Nawww...it would just swing it the other way.
Here’s a thought: QUIT SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY.
I knew a guy that moved to the midwest a few years back. In his first year there, he spend more in hail damage to his 2 vehicles than I spend in property taxes. His next year, a wind storm blew a tree into the corner of his roof, and cost him a small fortune. His heating bills? lol...
QUIT SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY.Wait..what? S-P-E-N-D L-E-S-S M-O-N-E-Y?...hmmm nope, not in the "Welcome to Government" handbook.
Earthquakes aren’t much of a problem.
And how does more taxes "ease the burden on the state and thus reduce its chronic budget deficits" when it will increase the burden on citizens of the state? I suspect that budget deficits in CA have been neither perpetual nor chronic since Proposition 13 has passed.
If the government of state cannot live within its means, even while the revenue from state taxes had been at record highs, then it's the government of the state that needs to be changed, not the tax laws and will of the people.
Of course, if people of California (and New York and other liberal states) keep voting for more bonds and more spending, which they are told "will not raise taxes" (without having a thought of where will the money come from, then?) then sooner or later they will have to pay and they deserve the government they get.
Soon there will be no businesses left in Kal-ee-for-nee-a.
English-to-English translation service:
Paragraph 1: Tax-and-spend vote-buying politicians have appointed a commission to catch the javelins when taxes are raised. ‘Debate’ is our code word for one-sided media support of tax-and-spend policies and an increase in property taxes since nobody in their right mind wants property taxes raised.
Paragraph 2: Proposition 13 was landmark because nothing like it has happened since (fortunately). ‘Limit’ is a pretty definitive term but we choose to use the term ‘tight limit’ because we prefer ‘loose limits’ that allow the numbers to be fiddled with. We also mention schools because that’s a heartstring-tugger. State government should be concerned with windmill-building and choosing the official state salamander; mundane topics such as education are, well, mundane. And expensive.
Paragraph 3: ‘Loosening’ means overturning. You can’t get a little bit pregnant. We’ll mention schools again in case you missed it in the previous paragraph and we’ll also mention ‘local services.’ Most people probably think of police, fire and sanitation but trust us there are plenty more patronage jobs out there to buy votes with. This law has been around for three decades dammit. It’s popular with voters who are homeowners - can you believe their gall?
Paragraph 4: Here’s where we start the soft sell. Residential property won’t be touched (because residents vote!). Business property? Another story! Businesses can’t vote! Businesses are greedy! They might even show a profit in some quarters or years! We actually printed the word ‘liberals!’ See? We’re non-partisan! Of course we still will substitute ‘revenue’ for ‘taxes’ whenever possible. We’ll also use positive terms such as boost, invigorate and stimulate even though you’re more likely to read those words in a Craigslist personal ad. Do you like that ‘many billions of dollars’ line? We did too. Pie-in-the-sky unverifiable estimates are our specialty when it comes to government largesse.
Sure there will be business left in California...Government Workers and Illegal aliens will be the two groups left in the state.
I’ve been saying it for at least two years here on FR: They’ll overturn Prop 13 within the next ten years. Captive homeowners are the ones least able to cut their losses when they leave.
” more money for services and schools” dont they mean more money for fat public worker pensions, illegal alien services, and huge political pork projects (we still paying for that stem cell bill, right??? yeah cry me a river for them damn losser schools. try cutting aid to al the illegals first.
a local collage near me, in this budget cutting time has just about finished a multi month project to put a new enterance at teh school (Canada college, San Mateo County)the old sign was torn out as was the side walk and street (all were in great condition) now we have two large stone pyrimids adn a giant stone sign for the scool (must wiegh several tons) we got fancy cobble stone street also. no increase in capacity,, just looks pretty. I estimate at least $100,000 wasted onthis project to make the enterance look pretty (the old one was just fine) your taxes at work. as predicted, they are complaining they have to lay off teachers, and reduce classes, but my my what a pretty enterance tthey have, all that stone work looks so nice (barf)
Dan never loses an opportunity to try wound or kill Prop 13.
I will be so glad when the Bee’ close their doors and dangerous people like Dan don’t have a forum anymore.
A quick Yahoo search on Dan Walters Articles on Prop 13 show over 100,000 hits.
Walters has been a one man hit squad against prop 13 for decades.
I’m on my way to the Great Free Republic of Texas, just as soon as she secedes from the late great USSA. Yeehaw!!
Otherwise known as shafting renters and small business employers chasing more jobs out of California and creating more claims for services on the State budget.
Great idea!
California should file chapter 9 bankruptcy.
exactly, renters from residential or commercial always pay the real estate taxes.
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