Gaines Gazette - News from Ted Gaines, BOE District 1

GAINES GAZETTE

August 2019

You're Invited: 2019 Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Hearing

You’re invited to the annual Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights Hearing held by the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) on Tuesday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m. in Sacramento. This hearing gives taxpayers, assessors, and other local agencies the opportunity to provide comment on BOE-administered programs, local property tax issues, and on any items discussed in the BOE’s 2017-18 Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s Annual Report .

You may also present concerns regarding agency services or other issues related to the administration of the BOE’s tax programs, including state and county property taxes, alcoholic beverage tax, and tax on insurers. With respect to the alcoholic beverage tax, you may present ideas and recommendations regarding legislation which may further improve voluntary compliance and the relationship between taxpayers and government.

Enacted in 1994, the Morgan Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights requires the BOE to ensure the rights of California taxpayers are protected during the assessment and collection of property taxes. By law the BOE must conduct an annual Bill of Rights hearing open to the public. Additionally, the BOE has a Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate to ensure every taxpayer's rights are protected and to facilitate in the resolution of property tax problems.

I hope to see you there!

Meeting District 1 County Assessors

I recently had an informative meeting with Merced County Assessor Barbara Levey and her incredibly capable staff where I learned about agricultural assessments, ownership changes, and other business assessments.

Under its constitutional mandate, the BOE oversees the assessment practices of the state’s 58 county assessors , who are charged with establishing values for approximately 12.8 million assessments each year.

It has been great meeting with 1st District County Assessors to learn about their needs and how I can assist as their BOE representative.

Welcome Address at Northern California

Assessors' Association Regional Conference

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It was my pleasure to address the annual conference of the Northern California Assessors’ Association in South Lake Tahoe earlier this month.

The conference provided attendees with the tools necessary to improve effectiveness, sharpen organizational intelligence, and operate as successful county assessors. The program covered a variety of interesting topics from disaster preparedness, national and local housing issues, and the split roll ballot initiative.

It was great to meet county assessors and other stakeholders interested in property tax from around the state. I look forward to working with them to better serve California taxpayers!

From top right: Nevada County Assessor Sue Horne; Siskiyou County Assessor Mike Mallory and Plumas County Assessor Chuck Leonhardt with Beth and Ted Gaines; El Dorado County Assessor Karl Weiland; and Shasta County Assessor Leslie Morgan.

Lawmakers Propose $20.4 Billion in New Taxes and Fees

The California Taxpayers Association has released their Tax & Fee Report 2019 , an overview of the major taxes and fees introduced by the California Legislature.

According to the report, from the start of the 2019 legislative session through August 12, California lawmakers have introduced 72 proposals that, if passed, would cost taxpayers more than $20.4 billion annually in higher taxes and fees. The proposals cumulatively represent 14 percent of general fund revenue at a time when California has a record-high budget, robust reserves, and an operating budget surplus. This number is preliminary and may even increase as bills are amended in the final weeks of the legislative session, which ends on September 13.

In June, Governor Newsom signed a record $214.8 budget for fiscal year 2019-20 — a $13.4 billion increase over the enacted 2018-19 budget. In May, the Legislative Analyst’s Office reported that the state has an operating surplus of roughly $22 billion.

Instead of increasing taxes, we should be looking for ways to ease the burden on families and business owners who see too much of their money go to Sacramento with too little result. I appreciate the California Taxpayers Association for working so hard to protect taxpayers from unnecessary taxes and for always promoting government efficiency.

At Your Service

White sign with words Customer Service in red sitting next to a bell with a finger pushing down on the ringer. Picture of Board Member Ted Gaines sitting in a black desk chair wearing a light blue shirt and striped tie.

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.

Mark Your Calendar!

Board Meeting, August 27-28, 2019, Sacramento

Visit my website