[randita]

Didn't take long for Prop 13 to be back on the chopping block. What are the chances of overturning Prop 13?

[BJungNan]

The phrase "commercial property" includes a lot of mom and pop style shops - think of every little shop keeper in every strip mall. Beauty salons, corner markets, little restaurants, bicycle shops...

It does not matter if these are owned or rented, the effect of wiping out prop 13 protections will be the same - either a hugh jump in property taxes or a huge increase in the rent. This at a time when many stores are complaining about some tough times.

It won't fly. And as usual, the libs are seriously out of touch. By the way, has anyone seen anywhere the story about all the state officials buy cadillacs before the budget axe falls?

[copycat]

Don't worry California. Gray Davis will continue to raise your taxes while accepting obscene amounts of cash for his personal use to stay in power.

As for Prop 13? It's gonna be hilarious to watch the liberal nanny-state disassemble their socialist haven piece by piece.

[xzins]

Interesting that the way out of their budget crisis is "new revenue/taxes" rather than reduced expenses.

Businesses do not pay taxes. They pass them along to consumers in the price of their goods. Admittedly, businesses that do business outside the state will enable some of that tax cost to be distributed around the nation/world.

It's useless to say they should have gotten rid of Davis, but the should have.

They need to cut expense. If you keep increasing the bite you take out of a paycheck and never retreating in the form of reduced costs and reduced taxes, then you are doomed to some point, X, in the future where you can take no more because you've taken everything.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Prop 13 will not be overturned. It will be ignored. Example, one county or city is adding "Fees" to property for police and fire services.

[Publius6961]

Deny, deflect, delay and destroy.

The cause is uncontrolled spending.
That's what I'd like to discuss.

[Publius6961]

Deny, deflect, delay and destroy.

The cause is uncontrolled spending.
That's what I'd like to discuss.

[Dog Gone]

High power costs, soaring Workmen's Comp costs, environmental and regulatory burdens, and a state income tax have all put the squeeze on California businesses.

Now, the state wants to jack up their property taxes.

Businesses pass on their costs to consumers, if they can. If they can't, they close up shop.

Which one of those results are the geniuses in Sacramento wanting to accomplish?

[Pylot]

To me, the one thing about the insanity of the California "budget crisis" is that there is no crisis at all.

There are just a bunch of government pukes seeking to deny the reality of having less money. The stewards of government are willing to devastate the people they allegedly serve in order to preserve what?

Unfettered, reckless spending.

To think that raising property taxes on business will last more than one year is lunacy. Businesses are already leaving California at a record pace.

Soon all that will be left are about 25 million people with their hand out.

[Eala]

The budget mess comes with an opportunity for California to address long-ignored inequities in its tax structure.

That's code for "we want to jack up your taxes."

[Grampa Dave]

Here we go, the real objective of the rats and their butt buddies in the media, who have hated prop 13 since it became law, like a certain pseudo conservative who writes articles for the Sac Bee.

[PsyOp]

That's the ticket! Let's Drive that final stake through the heart of California's businesses. That will help the state's budjet and our schools.

[Koblenz]

I'm all for low property taxes, but I think you are most equitable when you assess all properties using fair market value. All properties should be reassessed at the same time. To reassess only when a property changes hands encourages people not to sell their property and find a better location. It has the same effect as a capital gains tax: it keeps capital tied up because a tax event is triggered upon the sale.

[Uncle Hal]

Let me tell you folks, we must be vigilent on Prop. 13. The liberals are licking their chops to get at this huge source of money. I believe the legislature will not tinker without going back to the voters. Then they will have all the liberal press lined up supporting the increase. We must fight any change, no matter how small, with all the power well have. Once they start changing things they will not stop.

[maria2003]

The major problem with Prop 13 is that it included landlords in the tax protection. As an example, my landlady owns a building she paid less than $30,000 for 30 years ago, is currently assessed at about $66,000, and pays about $650 a year in property taxes. This is a 4 unit building in SF easily worth over $2 million (even in the wretched state she keeps it in). She collects at least $50,000 a year in rents. She could easily afford to pay more taxes. It's a crime that she isn't. I'm all for protecting families and especially the elderly from huge tax increases, but people who own property for profit and not for their own housing need to start paying up. They CAN afford it. If they can't, they can sell their buildings and choose a different line of work.