As I have mentioned before, the summer of 2016 will be a big year for CA ballot initiatives. First, CA voters will likely be asked if they want to extend the tax increases of Prop 30. Second, it appears likely that public-sector employee unions will push hard to make some changes to Prop 13. In particular, they will likely propose what is known as a dual or split roll for property taxes, where residential and farm properties are still protected under Prop 13, but commercial properties are removed from these protections and subject to annual property increases based on current values.
Suprisingly, the LA Times is reporting that support for a split-role is decreasing:
Support has dwindled for removing commercial properties from tax limits imposed by Proposition 13, the landmark property tax initiative approved by voters in 1978, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.
In addition, California voters were almost evenly split on the idea of extending a tax increase that Gov. Jerry Brown persuaded voters to approve in 2012. That measure, Proposition 30, temporarily increased the sales tax by a quarter-cent and raised income levies on high earners. The findings come as unions and grass-roots organizations are considering offering statewide ballot measures on both tax measures. . . .
“This would face a difficult hurdle,’’ said Mark Baldassare, president of the Public Policy Institute. “Most people believe that, overall, Proposition 13 is a good thing.”