The liberals that control the California legislature HATE Proposition 13.  Why?  Because they have a voracious appetite for taxing working Californians, and "playing" with that money as if it were the fruits of their own labor.  Well, this past week was the 30th Anniversary of the passage of Prop. 13, and to celebrate the occasion, Senate and Assembly Democrats killed commemorate resolutions in their respective houses.  Below is an account from Senate Tom Harman, who authored a resolution for the Upper Chamber…

Democrats Are Party Poopers for Prop 13’s Birthday
by State Senator Tom Harmon

In recognition of the historic approval of Proposition 13 on June 6, 1978, I have authored Senate Concurrent Resolution 116.  SCR 116 commemorates an important moment in California history and commends the people of California for passing a landmark initiative that has become synonymous with tax relief, responsible government, and most importantly, the citizen’s right to place sensible limitations on the power of government.

Unfortunately the democrats in the legislature could not approve this simple non-binding resolution. On Thursday, June 5, I presented my bill before the Senate Committee on Revenue & Taxation, where it was rejected by a party-line vote. Proposition 13 was a bi-partisan effort, and even today it is supported by a majority of both parties in California. The action by the Committee in rejecting SCR 116 should put every California homeowner on notice that tax and spend liberals could fill the $14 billion deficit by turning back the clock on Proposition 13.

Some legislators have been looking to “adjust” Prop 13 in order to find some kind of quick-fix for the budget mess. This proposal is nothing more than another scheme to paper over the deficit and ignore the real problem of runaway state spending. Another popular, yet equally misguided idea is the “split-roll” tax, which would delete business property from the safeguards of Prop 13.  If that were to happen, it would jack up commercial property taxes and increase rents all over California.  This would be the equivalent of a major natural disaster in terms of lost business to the state.

When California’s voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13 in 1978 it rolled back assessed property values to 1975 levels and capped property taxes at 1 percent, while limiting the annual increase in assessed value to 2 percent. These measures have saved individual homeowners, businesses, and farmers thousands of dollars since its passage.  Even if you bought your home as recently as 2000, Prop 13 has saved you around $54,000 in taxes in just eight years. Since 1978, Prop 13 has saved California taxpayers a total of $528 billion in taxes.

Whether or not they are homeowners, all Californians have benefited from Proposition 13.  Lowered property taxes on apartment buildings, commercial real estate, and agricultural land means less costs to be passed on to renters, small businesses, and the family grocery bill.  Since its passage, Proposition 13 has been under attack by those who think the people’s money is best spent by the government.

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.