Attacks on Proposition 13

California families already pay the highest taxes in the nation, and all taxpayers are at risk of even higher taxes if the Democrat ballot measures pass. This is another example of the continued Democrat attacks on Proposition 13. We need to keep the protections of Proposition 13 that have given us billions of dollars in property tax savings and block tax hikes. It especially impacts fixed-income property owners including the elderly. In other words, we need to be smart and informed before we vote. Apparently they do not care about the cost of living crisis that is hurting California working and fixed-income families because these measures will actually make things even worse by raising taxes even higher.

What is being proposed to gut Proposition 13?

For years California Democrats have worked to outright repeal Proposition 13, often by providing misleading information. Another strategy has been to include false and misleading ballot titles on tax hike measures to confuse and deceive voters. The titles never mention that the measure is a tax hike, but only use titles that tout the benefits of the measure distorting the information voters should have.  Voters continue to reject those efforts.

For years California Democrats have used court cases in front of liberal judges to open loopholes in Proposition 13 to make it easier to raise taxes but fortunately most efforts have not succeeded.

California Democrat legislators have recently approved placing two measures on the ballot that will finally do the job to gut Proposition 13 and make it easier to raise taxes. The two measures most likely will confuse voters and derail the efforts to save Proposition 13. All voters need to be informed about these measures in order to make the right decision.

It has not been determined whether the two tax measures will be on the March Primary ballot, or later on the November General Election ballot. They are not included in the initial listing of measures on the March ballot but they could still be added. This puts us in further possible jeopardy to inform all voters about the damage these measures will do to Proposition 13 protections.

 If a ballot title fails to disclose that a measure is a tax hike, it skirts the Proposition 13 requirement to inform voters. Democrats are banking on voters not having complete information in order to make a well-informed decision.

A coalition of taxpayer advocates collected over 1.4 million signatures to force the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative (CTPI) on the 2024 ballot. The measure eliminates the loopholes California Democrats have opened in Prop 13, restores the two-thirds vote requirement on special taxes, and mandates honest ballot titles that use the words “Tax Increase” when presenting measures that contain tax hikes in them. This seems like a more fair approach to offer complete information to voters without trying to convince them with dishonest titles. 

It is easy to become confused, but here’s what the three measures do: (titles and proposition numbers have not been assigned yet.)

1. ‍ACA-1: Lowers the threshold to approve special tax hikes from two-thirds to 55%

2. CTPI: Restores Prop 13’s voter approval requirements for tax hikes and requires honest ballot titles

3. ACA-13: Blocks the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative from being approved by increasing the votes required for approval from a majority to a super-majority

California Democrats are sure to use dishonest ballot titles to present these three measures on the ballot. Here’s how Democrats may try to confuse voters with manipulative ballot titles:

1. ‍ACA-1: Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval (actual current title Democrats want)

2. CTPI: Limits ability of voters and state and local governments to raise revenues for government services. (actual current title Democrats want.  A more honest title would include what the measure actually does – eliminates Prop 13 loopholes, restores 2/3 vote requirement on special taxes, mandates ballot titles that use “tax increase” when measures contain tax hikes.)

3. ACA-13: Ensures fair voting thresholds for approval of constitutional amendments (possible title Democrats want)

What happens next?

While the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative (CTPI) is already scheduled for the November 2024 ballot, the question now is whether ACA-1 and ACA-13 will be on the March 2024 or November 2024 ballot.

With the recent defeat of Proposition 15, the most recent Democrat effort to overturn Proposition 13, it shows that when voters are informed they don’t want to give up the benefits contained in Proposition 13.

Voters should always try to be fully informed.