In
keeping with my theme of aging in Marin, I’ve been thinking of those who are
currently purchasing homes in today’s market. How are they going to keep up with their high
property tax base as they get older? Sure, if everything goes as planned then
it should be okay. But, what if it
doesn’t go as planned? Aging in place may become difficult. I then thought of
my own parents who are lucky that their home is under the Proposition 13 bill.
Today I
was reading the Independent Journal and came across an article that talks about
Marin’s property tax. As the first
property tax bill is due to hit our mail boxes, I thought I would pass along
this article. You can find it here: Marin
County posts record property tax bill
About
Proposition 13 and Why We Have It
Prior to
1978, California’s property tax was a little less than 3% of the market value
for one’s homes and there were no limits to tax increases or assessments. So,
some owners had their home reassessed at 50-100%. This was a huge problem, especially for the
elderly. Many had paid off their
mortgages yet faced losing their homes because they couldn’t afford the taxes.
This situation was getting out of control, and just when people were close to
losing their homes, Howard Jarvis (Howard Arnold Jarvis was an American
businessman, lobbyist, and politician. He was an anti-tax activist responsible
for passage of California's Proposition 13 in 1978.), gathered more than 1.5
million signatures to qualify a statewide initiative to finally end excessive
taxation and protect the security of home ownership. This was called Proposition 13. On June 6th, 1978, nearly two-thirds of
California’s voters passed Proposition 13, reducing property tax rates on
homes, businesses, and farms by about 57%.
Many politicians said that the cut to property taxes have
hurt California’s ability to maintain their roadways, and infrastructures.
However, it has forced local governments to manage their finances better. That
is one reason the initiative had such overwhelming popular support. Most cities and counties have been very
successful under proposition 13. If some
failed, the problem was not Prop. 13. It
was reckless spending.
It is important that we make sure this proposition does NOT
get repealed. We must make sure our elderly are able to afford to stay in their
homes if that is what they have chosen. If you would like more information or have a
comment, please feel free to contact me.
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