California Republicans are accustomed to voting No on ballot measures proposed by our Democratic state legislature. But this November, there is a rare exception: Proposition 43.
Proposition 43 restores the two-thirds vote requirement to raise special taxes. The Orange County Register, in endorsing the measure, explains why Californians will have the chance to vote on it:
“Prop. 43 was placed on the ballot by a panicked California Legislature after a last-minute deal was struck with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association to pull the association’s more sweeping Local Taxpayer Protection Act from the ballot…If voters approve it, Prop. 43 would close a court created loophole that allowed some local special taxes to evade the two-thirds vote requirement”
The Orange County Register editorial lays out the need for the change:
“a series of bone-headed court decisions determined that voters could approve citizen-driven special tax increases by a simple majority, while maintaining the two-thirds rule for special tax increases directly placed on the ballot by local governments. This loophole led to abuses, as unions served as the cat’s paw for local officials by gathering signatures to place tax increases on the ballot and pass them with less than a two-thirds vote.”
Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, argues that a two-thirds majority vote for special taxes is necessary and fair:
“higher voting thresholds protect minority interests by inhibiting the targeting of specific, smaller groups or industries with high taxes. By ensuring a broader consensus, it requires lawmakers (or voters) to build wide agreement across party lines before taking more private income for public use.”
Coupal points out how protecting Proposition 13 benefits local governments – contrary to what you may hear from some local elected officials.
“The secret about Prop. 13 hiding in plain sight is that it has been a boon to local governments. While providing security to homeowners, it simultaneously guarantees stable – and almost always increasing – revenue to local governments. Statewide, assessed value of property generally increases in the 4 to 5 percent range. And even in years when market values decrease, Proposition 13 acts as a shock absorber, stabilizing revenue because of the difference between taxable value and market value.”
You can thank the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association for this unique opportunity to restore the original intent of Proposition 13. Vote Yes on Proposition 43!
