These are unrealistic and unsustainable rules. Think about how much your neighbor has been under-contributing over the years. It's like rent-control. It's against the laws of economics. Besides if you don't pay by property taxes, then you'll have to pay the bill elsewhere. Or cut services. Or incurr debt through deficit spending. And then debt creates it's own drag.
All these dumb Props CA does could be why it's on the balls of it's *** financially.
Where to begin?
You could not be more wrong... then again, people living outside of California have no idea just how much in taxes Californians pay...
By the same logic it could be said folks in Nevada and Washington are in the same boat since these States charge no Income Tax or those living in Oregon pay no Sales Tax. Californians pay Property, Sales, Income, numerous surcharges on everything from Utilities/Cell Service to buying Lumber... there are literally thousands of entities with the power to tax in this State.
Prop 13 was a groundswell taxpayer revolt at a time double digit tax increases were rampant and the legislature chose not to act... simply indexing the homeowner exemption would have stopped Prop 13... by the way, Jerry Brown was governor then and again now...
Also... several tax Assessors pre-prop 13 were sent to prison and others committed suicide when their sweetheart tax deals were uncovered for those of influence and power... it was just too easy to manipulate property values when based on estimates of value.
I would NEVER want to go back to the old system where some bureaucrat estimates my taxes based on a guess using what some fool happened to pay for a property in my area... I've experienced this in Washington State when my taxes increased 80% one year to the next because some fool with money paid an outlandish price for a parcel of land... only to go bankrupt when the market tanked...
Prop 13 replaced volumes of Tax Code with a few short paragraphs... anyone can understand it and reduced Assessor staff dramatically...
Why should a home be treated differently than any other purchase... I have a 1962 Corvette that sits in the garage... as Corvette values rise... using your logic so should my registration.
The Supreme Court has ruled Prop 13 does not violate the equal protection clause... Prop 13 is simply a tax based on the price paid between a willing seller and buyer...
Prop 13 is not cast in stone... voter approval is all that is required to increase taxes... in my city, the voters have been very generous... only 55% voter approval is required for school infrastructure...
Californians pay some of the highest taxes in the Nation... so pray tell why adding some stability to property taxes is a bad thing?
I was much too young to have voted for Prop 13 when it became law... I am thankful and grateful for those that did...
PS... Why shouldn't my 101 year old neighbor widow lady living on savings and a modest Social Security check be forced from her home because some think she should pay more in property tax... she paid her dues, paid the assessments for the road and utilities that I get to enjoy...
She and others like her deserve a secure retirement... we do not work for the government...
