GAINES GAZETTE

February 2023

February Board Actions

During the February Board meeting, we conducted a public hearing for state assessees and private railroad car assessees regarding Fiscal Year 2023-24 Values, and heard a presentation of the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s Fiscal Year 2021-22 Annual Report. We also received updates on BOE operations and discussed Board Member requested matters on training, workforce planning, and the Property Tax Abatement Board Work Group on Affordable Housing.

We are proud as a Board to meet our constitutional duties and remain committed to our mission to serve Californians through fair, effective, and efficient tax administration in support of state and local governments.

Taxpayers' Rights Advocate's Annual Report

This month, the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s Office published its Fiscal Year 2021-22 Annual Report. The report highlights taxpayer services, the office’s accomplishments during the past year, and an overview of property tax cases resolved.

The Taxpayers' Rights Advocate's Office, led by Lisa Thompson, is a wonderful resource to help taxpayers who are unable to resolve a problem through normal channels. Their goal is to protect your rights and ensure your tax problems are handled promptly and fairly.

Their team is standing by to help! For more information, visit their webpage.

Poll Finds 70% of Californians Believe Taxes Too High

According to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released this month, seventy percent of Californians believe they are paying too much in state and local taxes, compared with 4 percent who say they are paying less than they should.

Participants were asked: “When you combine all of the taxes you pay to state and local governments, do you feel that you pay much more than you should, somewhat more than you should, about the right amount, or less than you should?” They responded with 31 percent saying “much more,” 39 percent “somewhat more,” 26 percent “about the right amount,” 4 percent “less than you should,” and 1 percent “don’t know.”

The survey also revealed that 91 percent of Californians think the state government wastes tax dollars, and 95 percent believe the federal government wastes their tax money.

Of the 1,539 respondents, 47 percent are registered Democrats, 24 percent are Republicans, 27 percent decline to state a party preference, and 2 percent are registered with another party. The poll was conducted from January 13 through January 20 in English and Spanish. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Property Tax Assistance Programs for Seniors

The Taxpayers' Rights Advocate recently released an Information Sheet on Property Tax Assistance Programs for Seniors. Click here to view all Information Sheets, including several translated in Spanish. 

Tax Filing Relief Granted to Californians Impacted by

Winter Storms

President Biden and Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency throughout California in response to the recent winter storms. These declarations mean residents and businesses in California who have been affected by severe storms, flooding, and mudslides are eligible for tax relief.

The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and the IRS have extended the filing and payment deadlines for the current tax year (2022) for individuals and businesses in California until May 15, 2023.

This relief applies to those in the declared disaster area, which includes 41 of California's 58 counties: Alameda, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Ventura, Yolo, and Yuba.

Impacted taxpayers may also be eligible to claim a disaster loss on their tax return, or qualify for property tax relief and keep their Prop 13 base year value when the home is rebuilt in a similar manner.

More information on the FTB tax relief can be found here, and additional details from the IRS can be found here.

As a Board Member, my number one priority is to advocate for taxpayers. I believe hardworking Californians deserve to have someone working on their behalf to streamline and promote efficiency in state government.

Should you need assistance with tax-related problems or have questions, visit my website for information on how to contact my office or email me directly anytime.

Monthly Board Meeting: March 21-22, 2023

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