The anti-Prop.13 coalition filed a ballot measure for 2020 that would let local bureaucrats
reassess property and raise property taxes without limit – just like the Bad Old Days before
Proposition 13.
That’s a dire threat to property owners, but it’s not the reason for this. I write about a more
urgent threat, ask for your fast action. Not next year, but right now!
I need your signature on the following Petition and your special HJTA donation of $65 or more.
Read on and I’ll explain the threat to Prop.13 and to you, Mr. and Mrs. Housing Provider.
OK, so the anti-Prop 13 coalition wrote and gathered enough signatures to get a Constitutional
Amendment on the 2020 ballot that would give local bureaucrats the power to reassess property
to a higher “market value” and without Prop.13’s current 2% limit on annual increases.
Californians overwhelmingly passed and still support Prop. 13 because it uses purchase price,
not market value, as the property tax base. Change that and a hot real estate market would once
again drive taxes through the roof!
Voters would never approve having their homes reassessed each year, with taxes jacked to the
new market value, right? Well, the anti-Prop.13 coalition hopes to win by claiming that their
plan only applies to business property – not residential homeowners. That’s how they’re
selling it, but pro-taxers in and out of government will admit that this Amendment would
soon roll out to all property owners so every single owner of ANY residence will soon be
taxed based on current value – as defined by local bureaucrats.
The word is out on that – one reason that polls say this anti-Prop.13 ballot measure will not pass!
Since their filed ballot measure seems like a loser, the anti-Prop.13ers want to get an alternative
measure moving that they can swap out at the last minute.
The plan is to withdraw the loser and replace it with an Amendment more likely to be approved
by the State Legislature – blindsiding voters with this new version late in the game – one more
likely to fool the voters.
The Anti-Prop.13 coalition is pushing the Senate and Assembly to pass an Amendment that we
need to block now in the Senate. And, when we kill it in the Senate, it will never make it to the
Assembly; certainly not to a public vote. That Senate Constitutional Amendment, which has yet
to be given a bill number, is the reason for this article. That’s what we will terminate with the
help of our signed Petition and donation today.
But, the anti-Prop.13 coalition is confident they can get an Amendment through the Senate
because pro-taxers outnumber taxpayer allies in the Senate by 29 to 11! Since we project that
such an Amendment could raise property taxes by at least $9 billion a year, it could pass quickly
and easily to satisfy the appetite of the tax-and-spend lobby.
The Senate also recently passed a very similar Amendment – SCA5. That failed only thanks to a
massive HJTA Petition Campaign. HJTA petitions helped to stop that anti-Prop.13 Amendment dead in its tracks. Thank you! But if we fail to kill this new Amendment in the Senate, it will advance to the Assembly, where pro-taxers have a 60 to 20 advantage over taxpayer allies! We
can’t afford to let that happen! That’s why I ask for your help. We can block it only with the biggest Petition Campaign
we’ve ever run. That winning campaign starts with your signed Petition, and your generous special donation of $65, $125 or more.
Behind the scenes in Sacramento, without public awareness, the anti-Prop.13 coalition is putting
intense pressure on the Senate to write and pass this Amendment soon, so your HJTA needs you
to answer with even more pressure – Tax Revolt-style – huge numbers of Petitions that say NO
to ANY anti-Prop.13 Constitutional Amendment.
With their 29 to 11 pro-tax advantage, the Senate could quickly pass this bad bill. Then it would
zip through the 60 to 20 pro-tax Assembly and then … voters would be surprised with a shiny,
new ballot initiative, rewritten to sound more appealing with the “business owners only” pumped
up so much that even homeowners will vote for it. What next?
You, personally, will see property taxes go up by 700% or more – no matter how long you’ve
owned your apartments and regardless of your ability to pay.
We can prevent ANY anti-Prop.13 Amendment in the Senate before it gets to the Assembly as
long as you sign the following Petition and return it with an HJTA donation of $65, $135 or as
much as you can afford. Even if you can’t afford to donate, return your signed Petition today so
I can compile and deliver the Petitions to the entire State Senate, include your Senator.
Your HJTA will be able to protect you and Prop.13 as long as we get enough Petitions from you
and other members, along with enough donations like yours today.
HJTA Petitions and donations helped us block this kind of assault before. We now need enough
Petitions to grind it to a halt. But no matter how much or how little you donate, please sign and
return your Petition TODAY!
P.S. The anti-Prop.13 coalition includes the usual anti-Prop.13 politicians, but it’s backed by
every special interest that operates at the local level … every City Council and school board that
blames Prop.13 for their budget failures.
To oppose them, your HJTA relies solely on the petitions, dues and special donations of our
members – our only source of funds. We keep winning only thanks to dedicated support from
HJTA Tax Revolt activists like you, and your donation of $125 or more could once again make a
decisive difference. But no matter how much you can contribute financially today, be sure
to sign and return that Petition. Thanks in advance!