Split-roll measure will NOT affect us people
By Rachita Rawal, Fullerton | 7/31/2020
I want to address the concerns listed in the editorial written on July 23rd about the splitroll measure.
First of all, Californians are NOT going to have to pay more because of Prop. 15. The author was correct to say that Prop. 13 was passed in 1978 to protect people who were being priced out of their homes. But he does not mention that a lot of folks didn’t know that it also protects large commercial property owners like Chevron and Disney. That’s why most folks now agree that it’s time to have these large corporations pay their fair share of property taxes, while keeping protections for homeowners, renters, and small businesses.
Along with that, not a dime of this revenue is going to Sacramento. It is all local money that can be used how we the people see fit. If Prop. 15 passes, Orange County is going to get $400 million every year for our local services. That is money that we need for the services we rely on, especially during this time in which we are facing massive cuts. Prop. 15 provides full transparency and accountability by requiring schools and local governments to publicly disclose all new revenues they receive and how they are spent.
Californians already have to pay some of the highest taxes in the country – it’s time for large corporations to share the burden with us. Especially because 92% of the revenue that Prop. 15 will generate is coming from just 10% of California’s commercial properties. This proves that most commercial property owners are actually already paying their fair share and only a small number are reaping the benefits at the expense of our communities. That’s why nearly every other place in the country taxes their commercial property at fair market value — it’s just common sense.
Prop. 15 is the fairest and most economically sound way of generating long-term local funding for our schools and communities without having to increase taxes on people like you and me. Vote YES on Prop. 15 this November!