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.On 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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OpposeSB 83County transportation planning agency.Signed by Governor
Authorizes a "county transportation planning agency" by majority voter approval to impose an annual fee of up to $10 per car to administer a program to manage traffic congestion and pollution. As it should be a special tax, the majority vote provision is not sufficient under provisions of Proposition 13.

Author(s) and Committee(s):

  • Senator Loni Hancock
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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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