HJTA FILES INITIATIVE TO SAVE PROP. 13
In the wake of state court decisions that opened a loophole in Proposition 13 and made it easier to raise taxes, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has filed a new initiative with the California Attorney General’s office that would place a constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot to close the loophole.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: CAPITAL GAINS TAX - ANOTHER HIT TO HOMEOWNERS
Just when you think things couldn’t get worse for California’s beleaguered taxpayers, a new problem is beginning to emerge that will surprise many homeowners when they sell their primary residences. The problem is the result of both rapidly rising home values and the failure of our political leaders to enact inflation adjustments to the capital gains exclusion on the sale of homes.
FORMER STATE SENATOR PATRICIA “PAT” BATES JOINS HJTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is excited to announce that former State Senator Patricia “Pat” Bates has joined the Board of Directors. Sen. Bates brings extraordinary experience that is certain to help guide HJTA to more and greater accomplishments for taxpayers.
ENDING THE TRANSFER TAX LOOPHOLE
The plain language of Proposition 13 prohibited real estate transfer taxes, but the California courts carved loopholes that have allowed some cities to impose them. Unlike capital gains taxes, which are levied on profits, transfer taxes are a percentage of the entire sale price when real estate is transferred from one owner to another.
WILL PROPOSITION 13 HAVE ANOTHER BIRTHDAY?
June 6 marked the 47th birthday of Proposition 13. Now it’s up to us to make sure there are many more birthdays ahead. We’ve seen how the courts and local governments blast loopholes into Prop. 13 to raise your taxes. That’s why we must get our new initiative, The Local Taxpayer Protection Act to Save Prop. 13, on the ballot.
UNDER THE DOME: WATCHING OUT FOR TAX HIKES
We are in the first year of the Legislature’s two-year cycle. When the session started, Democratic leaders urged their colleagues to prioritize issues of affordability. Then came all the tax hike proposals.
HJTA IN ACTION
View our HJTA team in action at recent events like Southern California’s 23rd Annual H.O.M.E. Fair, Home Ownership Made Easy.
THE LEGAL FRONT: COULD JUDGES REMOVE OUR NEW INITIATIVE FROM THE BALLOT?
Wait a minute. “By Timothy A. Bittle, Director of Legal Affairs”? I thought Bittle retired! I thought Laura Dougherty was the Director of Legal Affairs! What gives?
GET THE OFFICIAL PETITION FOR THE LOCAL TAXPAYER PROTECTION ACT TO SAVE PROP. 13
Click for easy instructions on how to get the official petition!
THE HISTORY OF LEGAL ATTACKS ON PROPOSITION 13
On June 6, 1978, California voters delivered a shock wave, not just in California, but throughout America. Proposition 13 reduced property taxes by more than half and imposed other restrictions on government’s ability to extract money from citizens and businesses.
FOUNDATION REPORT: UPDATE ON HJTA’S LAWSUIT TO INVALIDATE MEASURE ULA
HJTA’s lawsuit to have Measure ULA declared invalid is now before the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division 4. It is case number B334071. Measure ULA was a citizens’ initiative on the November 2022 ballot in the city of Los Angeles.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: WHAT’S GOING ON WITH REPEAL THE DEATH TAX?
We at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association are grateful for your support of the Repeal the Death Tax initiative effort. For months, we have been working hard to see if it’s possible to try for a third time to collect the signatures needed to get this important measure on the ballot to reverse the provisions in Proposition 19 (2020) which have triggered reassessment of property passed from parents to children.