KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
By Scott Wilk
Benjamin Franklin once opined that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” He may have been right, and nowhere in this world is that more true than right here in the State of California.
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Luckily, 40 years ago today Californians resoundingly approved a measure to curb at least one aspect of our state’s tax-happy agenda; the property tax.
Proposition 13 passed easily as Californians had grown tired of rapidly rising tax rates in an era of frivolous spending by state legislators.
Today, Legislative leaders continue to punish our citizens and businesses with burdensome tax schemes that see California with the single highest income tax rate vying for first in just about every other category.
We are the most taxed people in the nation on everything from gasoline to groceries to gifts from our loved ones but thanks to Prop. 13, property taxes have remained a point of reason in an otherwise ludicrous California tax structure.
But today, as everyday Californians work hard to pay their mortgages, political activists backed by Legislative leaders are making a monumental effort to roll back the protections afforded to homeowners by one of the most successful and widely popular propositions ever passed in this state.
They want to increase property taxes with a ballot measure of their own. First their coming after business owners whose tax rates will increase exponentially and continuously under the new proposition.
They say it won’t affect homeowners, just businesses. But this is exactly the kind of creeping roll back in tax protections we see time and again from left leaning activists and politicians in this state. One inch at a time they reach deeper and deeper in to our pockets until there is nothing left.
There’s no telling where the money would go. There’s no telling just how much more businesses would be on the hook to pay. There’s no telling how many of them would shut their doors or move away as a result, leaving economies struggling and workers unemployed in their wake. But they don’t care; they want our money at any cost.
It’s been 40 years now since Californians took the bold step of protecting themselves from their own government’s greed. Now, it is more important than ever for us to celebrate that victory and to mount another.
We must overcome this money-grab. We must not lose sight of the nearly $1 trillion dollars Californians have saved in property taxes since Prop. 13 passed and trillions we stand to lose without its protections. We must say no; no, we will not forego our protections and submit more of our hard earned money to the government.
Franklin’s quote on death and the certainty of taxation may be the best known from the period, but his friend and colleague Thomas Jefferson shared a thought that Californians would do well to consider at this time when he said that “taxes should be proportional to what may be annually spared by the individual.” We Californians simply cannot spare any more.
Scott Wilk represents the 21st Senate District which encompasses the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor valleys.
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Sadly much of the benefits of proposition 13 are being eroded every year. With items that should be paid from the general tax now being paid by special assessments. Items like libraries, schools, landscape districts and Trauma services being added to taxes as special assessments. Property Taxes are full of these special assessments that you would struggle to decipher or understand. I’ve left out Mello-Roos for another rant and time.
“…political activists backed by Legislative leaders…” is vague.
Who are they so we may call them out.
That way we may enter into a meaningful discussion.
If “they” are coming after business owners who are “they”?
Next the homeowners…? OK, their (they’re) coming. Who are they?
Have you heard about the federal tax give-away to the uber-wealthy
that will increase the federal debt by the tune of 1.7 trillion dollars?
We know who they are.
I was not aware of a grocery tax.
Prop 13 has been a disaster for this state and a major contributor to the housing crisis by insulating homeowners from rising housing costs as they block new housing projects at every turn. California is turning into a renter state now, and Millennials and Gen Z are giving up on the idea of ever being able to afford a home. But hey, at least you got yours, right?
Yes, protect that grandma with a million $ in home equity from paying her fair share at the expense of the young trying to raise families. Prop 13 is a criminal transfer of wealth from the old to the young. Guys like these who don’t understand basic economics about how Prop 13 has basically frozen the housing market are the source of the problem. Granted, taxes are high but Prop 13 should be repealed over say the next decade with a corresponding reduction in other taxes. Make housing a place to live and raise families instead of turning it into an asset class like what Prop 13 has done.
Mike – We cannot let Prop 13 protections be taken away. The state has plenty of money it is how the legislature chooses to spend it. Every bond measure comes with a huge interest payment. The legislature should live within its means.
Denny – “…political activists backed by Legislative leaders…” is vague. = Democrats
Who are they so we may call them out. = Democrats
That way we may enter into a meaningful discussion. Really, meaningful discussion with a Democrat!
If “they” are coming after business owners who are “they”? = Democrats
Next the homeowners…? OK, their (they’re) coming. Who are they? = The Democrats, they want your money however they can get it.
Have you heard about the federal tax give-away to the uber-wealthy
that will increase the federal debt by the tune of 1.7 trillion dollars? I hope you understand that corporations are made up of people, so they all benefit.
We know who they are. Good!
Matt = Prop 13 has not been a disaster. Your grandmother probably still owns her home due to Prop 13.
Homeowners, small business and companies who own rental properties should continue to be protected by Proposition 13. Large corporations should not, unless there is a plan in place to have them DIE after 80 years.
The goal of protecting individual homeowners is laudable, but there is no reason to offer the same protections to big business. Corporations are NOT people, my friends.
We need to restore funding to our schools and universities. We need more money to repair our infrastructure. We DON’T need more huge tax giveaways to large corporations that are owned by those who are already wealthy.