Nearly half of voters open to changing Prop. 13
By Jessica Calefati, Contra Costa Times
SACRAMENTO — Proposition 13’s restrictions on property tax growth have been untouchable in California politics for almost 40 years, but a new Field Poll shows about half of voters are open to tweaking the landmark measure.
Asked in a general way if they favor making some changes, 49 percent of registered voters said they supported the idea, while 34 percent are opposed, the poll found.
Deciding how to alter California’s rigid tax rules is the multimillion-dollar question. The Field Poll found far less consensus around a proposal to reduce the threshold needed to boost local taxes from a two-thirds majority to 55 percent. Only 39 percent of voters said they support that idea, and Republicans are strongly opposed, with 67 percent disapproving.
No, no, and did you not understand NO?
Absolutely NOT.
Giving the government more money is like feeding rats in your basement; no good will come of it.
delusional
Giving the government more money is absolutely pointless. It will NEVER be enough. They will ALWAYS “need” more.
Just say no.
Want to see housing prices plummet and cause a bigger migration out of California? Just eliminate prop 13.
That’s right-as the population increases and the cost of services and raw materials rise and long neglected infrastructure decays you suggest we hamstring society by attacking the government and ‘not give them money’. No one will argue that government is perfect…everyone agrees it is easily corruptible…but (speaking of rats) you two are a really messed up in the head.
I wonder how those numbers compare to the number of people working for the government combined with those on government assistance.
If gutting prop 13 was the best way to insure my early retirement I would be in favor of it.
sunriser2: there is an ignorance of Prop 13 and unintended consequences. Here is a snippet from an article from the LA Times last August.
“But like those reforms, the unwritten law of unintended consequences means Proposition 13 is showing some unlovely signs of aging.
Over those 35 years, the property tax burden has swung from businesses to the homeowners that Proposition 13 was supposed to be protecting. They have become the Atlas of Proposition 13, bearing the property tax burden on their shoulders. From a 60/40 percent business/homeowners figure in 1978, the number is now about 70/30, the 70% being homeowners.
Why? Because big businesses can game the word “ownership” in ways that are not possible for homeowners.”
A few years ago, Warren Buffett advocated that the business side of the equation be tweaked to shift the burden back to businesses. Others have long agreed.
So the need to tweak Prop 13 is real, and by doing so would once again better protect home-owners to not bare the burden.
Rick
“Ignorance”
Who do you think will pay more for goods and services when businesses raise prices to make up for their increased taxes?
When you drive down hwy 50 how many businesses look like they can adsorb property tax increases?
Maybe we can raise taxes on the owners of all the vacant commercial buildings.