On June 6, 1978, nearly two-thirds of California’s voters passed Proposition 13, reducing property taxes by about 57%.
Read Proposition 13 as it is enshrined in the California state constitution.
Read the text of the initiative circulated to voters.
Prior to Proposition 13, property taxes were out of control. People were losing their homes because they could not pay their property taxes, yet government did nothing to help them.
In the finest tradition of the Boston Tea Party, California taxpayers stood up and said “No more!” to excessive taxes.
The Proposition 13 Revolution swept the country and made headlines around the world. It began a change in thinking about the tax burden property owners had to bear. Proposition 13 also started a revolution in the people turning to the initiative process to gain greater control over their lives.
The following articles provide background on Proposition 13 — the initiative that started them all: