Some Democrats at the Capitol are attempting to chip away at California’s fabled Prop 13. But supporters of the property tax limiting measure are digging in to fight back. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento.
Proposition 13 limits property taxes in California. But it also requires a two-thirds vote of the public to increase any special taxes. Six Democratic sponsored bills making their way through the Senate would lower that voter requirement to 55 percent approval.
With a legislative super-majority in place, many Democrats see this as an opportune time to roll back some of the limits of Prop. 13.
Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association see such moves as an attack on the measure.
“The one thing that is critical for our side is to make sure that all legislators in both houses understand that a vote for any of these bills is a direct assault on Prop. 13,” says Coupal.
But Democratic leaders are not in any hurry to take on the issue this year. Since the bills are Constitutional Amendments they would not go before voters until at least 2014.
