(PR): HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION RELEASES 2016 LEGISLATIVE REPORT CARD

October 17, 2016

The news is not good — scores decline after recent upswing — majority of legislators flunk.

Sacramento, CA — HJTA has released its 2016 Legislative Report Card grading lawmakers on their votes on issues important to taxpayers. The Report Card is a non-partisan tool to help taxpayers hold legislators accountable.

Of the 120 members of the Legislature, 76 received a grade of “F” while 27 earned an “A” grade. Votes on 22 bills were used to score legislators. These reflect a range of policy issues including new tax and regulatory burdens, and positive proposals that include bills that clarify the parcel tax exemption process for seniors and create additional campaign finance transparency

“It is sad to see these declining scores in an election year,” said HJTA President Jon Coupal. “It appears some lawmakers, in their quest for campaign cash, were willing to put powerful special interests before the interests of average taxpayers. We hope taxpayers will review this scorecard carefully before making their decisions at the ballot box.”

Seven lawmakers received a perfect score. For Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes and Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, it was their second consecutive 100 percent. The full list includes:

State Senator Ted Gaines
State Senator Jim Nielsen
Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes
Assemblywoman Shannon Grove
Assemblyman Matt Harper
Assemblyman Jay Obernolte
Assemblyman Don Wagner

To review the Report Card in its entirety and to see how individual representatives scored, please click here. For more information about our methodology and scoring system go to hjta.org or email Legislative Director Scott Kaufman at: scott@hjta.org.

Jon Coupal

Photo of Jon Coupal Jon Coupal is the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA). HJTA, with offices in both Los Angeles and Sacramento, is the largest taxpayers association in California with a membership of over 200,000. Founded by the late Howard Jarvis, the author of Proposition 13, HJTA’s name is synonymous with tax relief and the uncompromising defense of the California homeowner.

From 1991 to 1998, Coupal served as Director of Legal Affairs for HJTA, overseeing the organization’s litigation and lobbying efforts. He is a recognized expert in California fiscal affairs and has argued numerous tax cases before the courts. Coupal also successfully defended Proposition 140, the state's term limit initiative, before the California Supreme Court. In 1995, he won a major ruling before the Supreme Court when it upheld the validity of Proposition 62, an HJTA sponsored initiative guaranteeing the right to vote on local taxes. He is also the principal drafter of Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act, a measure passed by the voters in November 1996. He has served as chairman of several initiative campaigns representing the interests of taxpayers including his most recent battle against Proposition 88, the statewide parcel tax initiative, defeated by the voters in November of 2006. Coupal is also Chairman of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Foundation which provides funding for taxpayer rights litigation and educational studies.

Coupal is a graduate of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary, where he received his J.D. degree in 1982. After law school, he was an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation for nine years, specializing in tax issues and political law. He resides in Sacramento, California with his wife Catherine, daughter Elena and son Adam.

View more of Jon's writing in California Commentary.

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