The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the leading taxpayer advocacy organization in California, today announced its opposition to Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11, which aims to abolish the state’s elected board for property tax administration and replace it with an agency headed by political appointees.
The California State Board of Equalization, made up of four elected members and the State Controller, was established in 1879 by the state constitution to regulate county assessment practices and oversee other aspects of tax assessment. Currently the BOE administers property taxes, the state alcoholic beverage tax, and the tax on insurers.
HJTA President Jon Coupal noted the BOE’s important role in providing guidance to County Assessors to promote consistency in property tax assessment throughout the state, and to ensure that the practices and procedures in every Assessor’s office comply with all laws and regulations, especially regarding appraisals.
“Taxpayers oppose ACA 11, which would eliminate the important checks and balances between taxpayers and tax administrators by abolishing the elected State Board of Equalization and distributing its authority to unelected political appointees,” Coupal said.
ACA 11, a proposed constitutional amendment, requires a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and the Senate in order to be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.
###