REPORT FROM THE CAPITOL

By David Wolfe, HJTA Legislative Director

As one of the largest grassroots anti-tax organizations in the nation, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association relies on the support of our Members, which allows us to influence legislation and protect taxpayers. Please use "Contact Your Representative" to the right of this page to urge your representative to support taxpayers when voting on the following important bills.

NOTE TO HJTA MEMBERS: For an updated status on any of these bills, please go to http://leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html and type in the bill number in the space provided. For questions regarding a position on a bill, please contact HJTA Legislative Director David Wolfe at david@hjta.org.

Urgent Action Required | Active Bills | Taxpayer Victories and Defeats


HJTA PositionBill NumberTopicStatus
OpposeAB 196Committee on Budget—Emergency services.Senate Floor
Establishes a 4.8% tax on residential and real property in order to pay for fire prevention services.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Noreen Evans
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OpposeACA 9 Local government bonds: special taxes: voter approval.Assembly Floor
Lowers the requirement for bonds and special taxes to pay for public safety improvements from two-thirds to 55%. Represents a direct assault on Proposition 13.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Jared Huffman
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OpposeACA 10 Taxation: Education Finance District: special tax.Assembly Floor
Lowers the requirement for school districts to pass a parcel tax using an “education finance district” from two-thirds to 55%. Represents a direct assault on Proposition 13.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Tom Torlakson
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OpposeACA 15 Local government transportation projects: special taxes: voter approval.Assembly Floor
Lowers the threshold for transportation special taxes from two-thirds to 55% in violation of Prop. 13.  

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Juan Arambula
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OpposeSCA 6 Taxation: educational entities: parcel tax.Senate Floor
Lowers the vote for school district parcel taxes from two-thirds to 55% in violation of Proposition 13.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Joe Simitian
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OpposeSCA 12 Public safety services: local government.Senate Floor
Lowers the threshold to fund local bonds for emergency service facilities from two-thirds to 55%.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Christine Kehoe
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OpposeSCA 18 Local government: property-related fees.Senate Floor
Under Proposition 218, all property-related assessments excluding water, sewer, and garbage services require a majority vote of affected residents to be approved. SCA 18 would add "storm water and urban runoff management" to the list of exemptions that do not need local voter approval to be implemented. This measure would greatly water down Proposition 218, called "The Right to Vote on Taxes Act."

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Carol Liu
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OpposeAB 827 Records.Senate Floor
Increases "fees" for various property-related papers or notices to fund the archival of historical county records in Yolo County. Again, due to the lack of a nexus, this is a special tax and should require a two-thirds vote under Proposition 13.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Mariko Yamada
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SupportAB 1718Taxation: property tax postponement.Senate Appropriations
Would reestablish the Property Tax Postponement program, a crucial tool in keeping seniors, the disabled, and those on fixed incomes in their homes. The program was suspended in 2008 due to ongoing state budget and funding issues.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Blumenfield
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OpposeAB 1770Vital records: fees: Stanislaus County.Senate Floor
Would allow the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors to increase fees via a majority vote for copies of marriage certificates and other records by up to $2 in order to fund domestic violence prevention and other programs. Because it would increase a tax without voter approval, it also should require a two-thirds vote from affected residents under local government special tax provisions of Propositions 13 & 218.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Galgiani
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OpposeAB 1998Solid waste: single-use carryout bags.Senate Appropriations
Would ban single-use plastic carryout bags in grocery and most retail stores, and would also eliminate plastic bag recycling programs, leading to a likely loss of jobs for manufacturers of plastic bags in California. AB 1998 also places a five-cent tax on each paper bag, creating higher costs for consumers.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Assembly Member Brownley
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OpposeSB 662Domestic violence: marriage license fees.Assembly Floor
Would authorize a county Board of Supervisors to increase marriage license fees by $10 to pay for the funding of domestic violence shelters. As currently drafted, SB 662 would authorize local government violations of the California Constitution. It is a tax for a special purpose and therefore must require a two-thirds vote by local voters to be enacted. This extension cannot be termed a fee since there is absolutely no nexus between marriage license fees and domestic violence shelters.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Yee
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OpposeSB 1222Marriage licenses: vital records: fees: domestic violence: Solano County.Senate Floor
Would allow for the Solano County Board of Supervisors to extend a pilot program until 2012 allowing for a $2 tax to be placed on marriage certificates and other records in order to fund domestic violence prevention and other programs. Because it would extend a tax without voter approval, it also should require a two-thirds vote from affected residents under local government special tax provisions of Propositions 13 & 218.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Wolk
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