VOTE NO ON 5 TO STOP THE TAX HIKES
Without a doubt, the most deceptive and dangerous measure on the 2024 ballot is Proposition 5, a constitutional amendment proposed by the legislature that would make it easier to raise property taxes.
NO ON 2 AND 4: $20 BILLION IN DEBT FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, CLIMATE PROJECTS
State lawmakers blew a $100 billion budget surplus and now face multiple years of budget deficits, but rather than slow down their spending, they’ve decided to borrow another $20 billion to keep it going.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: CALIFORNIANS LOSING CONFIDENCE IN STATE'S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, AND RIGHTLY SO
Mounting evidence reveals that Californians are rapidly losing confidence in the state’s political leadership. That loss in confidence is driven by the perception, much of it based in reality, that our elected officials simply aren’t addressing the real problems facing Californians.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
We were shocked and horrified that the California Supreme Court removed the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act from the November ballot. This fully qualified initiative sought to restore the constitutional limits on taxation that courts have eroded or allowed to erode over the years.
SHOCKINGLY HIGH GOVERNMENT SALARIES RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL TAX HIKES
As local governments demand that voters approve higher taxes, we thought it would be interesting to see how they’re spending the tax dollars you already give them.
UNDER THE DOME: A 'WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY' DEMOCRACY
Whose Line Is It Anyway is an improvisational comedy “game show.” I used quotation marks because while there are games, one of the running gags is it’s “the show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter.” That could be the state motto for the one-party state of California.
CHECK YOUR BALLOT CLOSELY FOR "UPLAND" TAXES. HERE'S WHY.
The California Supreme Court has made it easier to raise your taxes. That’s not the court’s role according to the state constitution, but it’s happening. Taxpayers should be on high alert for ballot measures that use the court-created “Upland” loophole to hike certain taxes with less than the two-thirds majority that is required by Proposition 13.
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE EFFORT TO REPEAL THE DEATH TAX?
HJTA continues to monitor the devastating effects of Proposition 19’s “death tax.” We are deeply concerned about the California families who are receiving the crushing news that family property is being reassessed to current market value, triggering a massive tax increase, when a parent passes away and children inherit long-held family homes or businesses.
HJTA ELECTION GUIDE: CANDIDATE ENDORSMENTS
During election cycles, the HJTA-PAC makes selected endorsements of candidates for state Assembly, state Senate, statewide office, U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate. This page is where you’ll find the list of HJTA-PAC-endorsed candidates that will be continually updated for the upcoming election.
HJTA ELECTION GUIDE: BALLOT MEASURE RECOMMENDATIONS
Ballots mail out by October 7 to all registered voters. On this page, you can review HJTA's ballot measure recommendations for the November 5th General Election.
THE LEGAL FRONT: CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT ERASES TAXPAYER PROTECTION ACT FROM YOUR NOVEMBER BALLOT!
This was truly a shocking disappointment. In the last issue of Taxing Times, I reported that Governor Newsom and certain members of the Legislature had filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court seeking to remove the fully qualified Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act (the TPA) from this November’s ballot. I regret to inform you that on June 20th, the Supreme Court actually did it, and without a dissenting opinion. The Wall Street Journal reported the event as “Direct Democracy Dies in California.”
FOUNDATION REPORT: BATTLING FOR TAXPAYERS IN THE COURTS
The California Constitution guarantees voters the right to approve or disapprove any new debt that would exceed revenue available to pay it. In fact, two-thirds voter approval is required. This has been the law since 1879.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: PROPERTY TAX POSTPONEMENT PROGRAM
Q: If I can’t pay my property taxes, is there any help for me?
A: If you’ve received a property tax bill that you cannot afford to pay, you may be able to benefit from the Property Tax Postponement (PTP) Program run by the State Controller’s Office.