THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, THE TAXPAYERS’ VOICE IN SACRAMENTO
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association maintains a permanent legislative office in Sacramento where bills that can harm or help taxpayers are carefully reviewed and analyzed by our Legislative Director, Scott Kaufman.HJTA uses a number of different methods to counter those bills that undermine the taxpayer protections contained in Propositions 13 and 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act. We meet individually with legislators and staff, testify at committee hearings, maintain an email list of legislative staff members to ensure that our positions on bills get out quickly, and hold legislators accountable with an annual report card. We work diligently to combat direct constitutional amendment threats to Proposition 13’s two-thirds vote protection, and numerous tax increase proposals ranging from oil severance to soda. A little less obvious and difficult challenge comes when these tax increases are disguised as majority vote fees in violation of Proposition 13. Often HJTA stands as the taxpayers’ first and only line of defense against such legislation.
HJTA also sponsors and support bills that will help California taxpayers. While most of this legislation dies in committee, we have sponsored three bills that were signed into law in 2009 & 2010. The Association has never been more successful in advancing a policy agenda.
To support the taxpayers’ legislative agenda, HJTA also delivers thousands of petitions from grassroots taxpayers to the State Legislature each quarter. Often lawmakers are accustomed to hearing from only the special interests that favor greater spending and tax increases. These petitions pack a wallop because they are a clear reminder that the voters back home are paying close attention to what goes on in Sacramento.
Use the links on the left to review current legislative threats to taxpayers, find out if your representatives are supporting your interests, and to contact them.
- To find out more about the California State Assembly click here
- To find out more about the California State Senate click here
- To find out more about a specific bill, click here
- To find and read California Law and the State Constitution, click here
- To register to vote and find out more about current ballot measures, click here