STOPPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM ELECTIONEERING
In 1996, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association ran a successful statewide campaign winning passage of Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act. Prop 218 gave California homeowners the right to approve or reject a host of property related fees and taxes.
Not wanting to cede political power to the unwashed masses, local government officials and their political allies fought hard against Prop 218. But one tactic caught us by surprise – the use of seemingly public funds by municipal “associations” such as the League of California Cities (League).
In the weeks before the 1996 election, we noticed in the official Secretary of State campaign finance reports that the League had contributed $50,000 to oppose Prop 218. This was odd as government entities are strictly prohibited from using public… Read More