I read with interest and concern the article in the December 6 Chico E-R regarding AB 48, or as it’s been dubbed Proposition 13. OK I get that, a proposition to put to a vote a bond issue to raise money for our schools. However there’s one sentence that is of great concern to me as it should be to all home owners protected under the 1978 Proposition 13.
The article states and I quote, “AB 48, Proposition 13 is not to be confused with the 1978 Proposition 13 which some education groups hope to overhaul in November to raise revenue for cities and schools.”
Wake up people, you should be concerned as another hand wants to slip in your pocket to remove your cash!
— Linda McCann, Paradise
Here’s the legislative digest entry:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB48
This is a proposal to lower the voter approval for bonds from 2/3’s to 55 percent. This is not democracy, it’s overpaid school administrators sticking their hands in our pockets to pay for their outrageous pensions. In Sacramento, one school district is tanking because of a 15% raise they gave their already generously compensated teachers.
Do they really think we’re stupid enough to fall for this trick? Calling a bad proposition “13”? Are we that dumb? Don’t wait until after the election to find out – tell your family, friends and neighbors not to fall for this trick. Write a letter like Linda McCann.
Just think, what if Paul Revere had thought his actions didn’t matter?
Chico Taxpayers Association 
The issue is business tax. While Prop 13 is a good deal for homeowners, it’s a tax loophole for businesses. For example:
“In 2004, the bulk of the land in Disneyland was taxed at 1975 values, at a rate of five cents per square foot,” CTRA says. “Subsequent Disneyland expansions show land taxed at growing amounts as new properties were acquired, until, in 2002, new property is assessed and taxed at 37 cents/square foot of land. If the under-assessed and under-taxed Disney land were brought up to 2002 values, Disneyland would pay Orange County $4,672,217.74 more per year in tax. This amount is likely to be larger in 2010, because at an increase of 2% per year as permitted by law, the tax difference between the vast amount of property valued at 1975 values becomes even greater.”
https://www.ocregister.com/2010/06/03/disneyland-businesses-enjoy-prop-13-loopholes-study-says/
I wish Disneyland tickets were locked into 1975 prices, which was $6.
My problem is, they won’t get that money unless they sell the land, so how can they be taxed at that amount? Just for the privilege of owning land and a business?
Property taxes should be based on what you get in the way of services instead of what the county assessor says your property is worth. For example, every year we should get a bill that details what exactly was done in our neighborhood, and what it cost, and how that spreads out. We should only pay when actual work is done.
Are you saying that people should penalized for making good business decisions, but morons who invest poorly should be subsidized?
Property taxes are just a taking – you should read “John Adams” – if you already read it, read it again.