Today, Legislative Republicans joined taxpayer advocates to oppose Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1, Democrats’ attempt to weaken Prop. 13 by making it easier to approve special taxes. Despite California having one of the highest state and local tax burdens in the nation, ACA 1 would lower the voter approval threshold to increase taxes from Prop. 13’s current two-thirds requirement to just 55%, making it even easier for local governments to impose new taxes on homeowners and businesses.
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, a clear, bipartisan majority of Californians oppose giving politicians the power to increase taxes with the lower level of support proposed by ACA 1.
“ACA 1 wrongly chips away at critical taxpayer protections by making it easier for greedy politicians and special interests to raise taxes. If this measure gets to the ballot, I implore the voters of California to not buy sham arguments that we need more taxes for housing and infrastructure,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego).
“ACA 1 will penalize hardworking Californians by making it easier to increase taxes,” said Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks). “Instead of solving the root of the issues like affordable housing and aging infrastructure, ACA 1 will put the burden on taxpayers.”
"With our current tax burden on middle-class Californians, inflationary crisis and high cost of living, ACA 1 couldn’t come at a worse time,” said Assemblywoman Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach). “I strongly urge my Assembly and Senate colleagues to reject this measure."
“ACA 1 is a direct attack on Proposition 13,” said Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon Coupal. “This reckless proposal is a time-bomb that will lead to an explosion of higher taxes, over and over again. The important two-thirds vote requirement protects Californians by forcing local governments to be thoughtful about how they spend existing tax dollars before they rush to the ballot for more.”
“ACA 1 is the first step to dismantling Proposition 13's protections against higher taxes,” said Rob Gutierrez, President and CEO of the California Taxpayers Association. “Housing costs are already too high, and the solution proposed by ACA 1 is to push higher taxes onto families and out of the housing market.”
"Making it easier to raise costly parcel taxes on businesses and sales taxes on consumers just further raises the cost of living, and cost of doing business in California and hurts every resident in the state," Matthew Hargrove, President & CEO, California Business Properties Association.
Additional attendees at the press conference opposing ACA 1 included:
- Senate Minority Caucus Chair Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach)
- Asm. Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach)
- Asm. Devon Mathis (R-Porterville)
Video of the press conference is available here: https://www.youtube.com/live/XEkYkmLgY4U?feature=share