Re “A little-known tax break saves San Diego owners of historic homes tens of millions” (March 22): As the U-T’s reporting has masterfully shown, Mills Act programs in San Diego County serve almost exclusively as public subsidies for the rich. The properties are concentrated in the most expensive areas of the county, such as Coronado, La Jolla, Point Loma, Kensington, Uptown and Downtown.
According to the San Diego County treasurer’s website, almost half of the county’s property tax goes to school districts. This means that for the $29 million in lost revenue countywide from the Mills Act, that translates to $13 million less in school funding every year, and the rest that is lost could have been used for infrastructure, parks, public servant salaries, etc.
Millionaires don’t need tax subsidies to take care of their properties. Just get rid of the Mills Act.
— Bill Li, San Diego