Prop 13, after 31 years

California Proposition 13, from 1978, has been a force that has shaped our economic environment. Over the last 30 years, the citizens of California, have suffered the effects and enjoyed the benefits of this referendum. First introduced to save the homes of people on fixed incomes as their property values skyrocketed, and their property taxes became onerous, this bill created a property tax loop-hole for corporations. Companies now avoid paying taxes on the current property values of their real-estate simply by setting up shell corporations as holding companies. The shell's can be bought and sold while never selling the real-estate itself, thus the tax value is never re-assessed, robbing the children of California of the resources needed for their education.

Below is a list of links and a printable brief on Prop 13. Educate yourself, and then take action. We must introduce a law to reform the California Constitution and close the business loophole. It is irresponsible to let Big Business avoid the taxes every other property owner must pay.

PROP 13 (1978) BRIEF [ .pdf printable ]


1) Wikipeadia - Prop 13

2) CalTax.org

3) Senator Peace: Cure Prop. 13 'Sickness' by Reassessing Commercial Property, Boosting the Homeowners' Exemption and Cutting the Sales Tax

4) THE TAX REVOLT THAT RUINED CALIFORNIA

5) Full Text of Prop. 13, 1978

6) Learning Matters - The Merrow Report - First to Worst (Special Challenge of Prop 13)

7) Prop 13 Then, Now, and Forever - The CATO Institute

8) Ed-Data

9) The Truth About Prop 13

10) UCSD and UC Berkley video "Prop 13 at 30" (Max Issac, Sociology UCSD)

MLK Service Day 2009

On January 19th, we answered Obama's call to meet and become the change we need.

A small group of concerned citizens in San Diego are beginning by educating ourselves about the systems of education in our city. We will become a think tank, an action group, a political force, to advise our leaders about new ideas and better directions. This is the beginning of the Obama revolution.