With all the breaking national news, many taxpayers have little bandwidth in their attention span to focus on the state budget. Moreover, the state budget process can be indecipherable even for political insiders. But taxpayers should be paying attention for the simple reason that it’s their money that is being spent. With no pretense at […]
If you had just won the lottery, would that be a good time to go further into debt or would it be smarter to pay down the debt you already have? Most Californians would like very much to be debt-free, and the thought of being able to pay off their mortgage, car loan and student […]
In the ‘80s, a punk rock band, The Clash, had a catchy little hit entitled, “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” As Californians start a new decade, many are asking themselves the same thing. For a few, the decision to leave is easy because of better job opportunities or the desire to escape California’s […]
Progressives in California, more than elsewhere, forget the history and inspiration behind the founding of the United States. Our very system of government – with divided powers among the three branches of government – reflects an effort to ensure that political power never becomes consolidated in one person or institution. The same is true with […]
A few weeks ago, this column recounted how progressive labor interests and their allies in government have stacked the deck against taxpayers in their efforts to qualify and pass the infamous “split roll” initiative. The measure, entitled the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020, would remove one of Proposition 13’s most important […]
Californians are keenly aware that we bear a heavy tax burden. Progressives claim that the tradeoff is low property taxes, but that’s just not the case. California ranks 17th out of 50 states in per capita property tax collections. What can be said about Proposition 13 is that it has made property taxes reasonable, not […]
While 1773 and 1978 may seem like they have nothing in common, both years go down in history books as two famous taxpayer revolts. The Boston Tea Party’s protest on December 16, 1773 by American colonists sent a strong message to Britain that Americans would not take taxation sitting down. Fast forward two centuries later, […]
A son once told his father that he had both good news and bad news and asked his dad which he would like first. The father said, “Give me the good news first.” So the son says, “The good news is that the air bags in your car work perfectly.” California is a state with […]
In a bit of irony, this March there will be a Proposition 13 on the California statewide ballot. But unlike the landmark taxpayer protection of 1978, the Prop. 13 of 2020 will put taxpayers on the hook for $27 billion. There’s another big difference between Prop. 13 (1978) and Prop. 13 (2020). The first was […]
In football, defensive coaches tell their players that the best way to avoid missing a tackle is to keep their eye on the ball carrier’s belly button. The runner may duck, weave, or spin but the belly button is always at the center. This is a fitting metaphor for the annual Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association […]
