This Tuesday, SJ Council looks ready to oppose a November statewide ballot initiative that would bring reason and sanity to CA’s tax code. Specifically, the initiative would close loopholes to Prop 13 that allow cities to sneak in certain tax increases with deceptive messaging and just a 50%+1 approval, even though the state Constitution and voter results have said there should be a 2\/3ds threshold for new taxes. SJ Council has a long and sorry history of voting contrary to citizen will on new taxes: it opposed Prop 13 back in 1978 and endorsed a Prop 13-killer, Prop 5, in 2025, even though local voters (along with the rest of the state) decisively rejected it. An Opp Now exclusive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
SV GOP chief: City not listening to its residents<\/p>\n
“As if the recent Hotel ‘Transient Tax’ increase, approved by voters in the June primary, was not enough, now the City of San Jose is looking to oppose the ‘Save Prop 13’ act, to be on the ballot in November. The proposition was submitted to the State with more than 25,000 local petition signers–both Democrat and Republican–who simply want to see an end to endless tax increases and City- or State-mandated tax grabs to continue to fund already bloated budgets, based on 50% increase in City revenues over the past 6 years.
“In a remarkable case of being ‘tone deaf,’ councilmembers Cohen, Campos, Kamei and Tordillos (all very far-left leaning) advanced the proposition that San Jose oppose the proposed statewide bill, as the City still needs more taxpayer monies to ‘fund the homeless’ (industrial complex).”<\/p>\n
–Dave Johnson, SVGOP chair<\/p>\n
Read more<\/a><\/p>\n Hinkle on\u00a0Prop 13 and legislators’ constitutional duties<\/p>\n “Every elected official at their swearing-in ceremony, swears to uphold the Constitution (state and national).<\/p>\n “Prop 13 is part of the California Constitution.<\/p>\n “If sitting council members and\/or the mayor no longer pledge to uphold the California Constitution, then they should resign.<\/p>\n “If budget concerns are more important than upholding the Constitution, they need to resign or be recalled by the voters and replaced by someone who does support the Constitution.”<\/p>\n –Mark Hinkle, Silicon Valley Taxpayers’ Association<\/p>\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\n Follow Opportunity Now on Twitter @svopportunity<\/a><\/p>\n