CONTINUING ATTEMPT TO OVERTURN PROPOSITION 13

If such a thing were to happen it would be devastating to us all, from major property owners, large stores, to those owning more then one home to those of us individually trying to get by paying our own mortgages.

I believe the real attack is aimed at the big property owners. Those who want Prop. 13 defeated know the average property owner can’t afford a sustainable defense, so if large property owners fail in their defense of Prop. 13 the next line of defense will be the individual property owner whose chances of winning a defense will be slim and none. Property owners on a massive scale will lose their homes to taxes. Large business’s will try to survive by laying off employees, many will just close and leave the state, the only evidence of their being here will be the remnants of their now abandoned buildings. California will be devastated, couple this with state income tax and sales tax currently at 8.750 % and you have nothing left.

There will more then likely be an Initiative to create a “Split-Roll” property tax, class warfare will be the weapon of choice, rich out of state property owners not paying their fair share and of course we can‘t forget the schools always, continuously, never endingly with their outstretched hand demanding more because they are so deprived.

"A split-roll property tax comes in two versions: one attempts to reassess non - homeowner property to reflect fair market value when no change in ownership has occurred. The other seeks to apply a higher rate to the current acquisitions value of non-owner occupied property. A split roll represents a massive increase in the cost of doing business in California. This increase will result in higher prices on consumer products and a less competitive climate for California’s businesses to expand and create jobs. Such a move would imperil the state’s economy and would be the single most damaging tax policy change that could occur in California." Cal-Tax

The only group fighting this attack on our homes and our way of life is the “Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation.” They are deserving of our support. When you consider the rate of property tax based on market value that you will be forced to pay should Prop. 13 go down in defeat whatever amount you give to the “HJTF” will seem very small.

Gordon Avery
Fri. Nov. 5, 2010