Strengthening California Cities
through Advocacy and Education
Presentation:
City of Santa Maria
Taxpayer Deception Act
May 7, 2024
David Mullinax
Regional Public Affairs Manager
Channel Counties Division
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Cal Cities Background
▪ Since 1898, Cal Cities has fought to protect and
enhance local control and local revenues.
▪ Cal Cities harnesses the voice and collective
power of its 476 member cities, representing
thousands of city officials and the millions of
California residents they serve.
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Cal Cities “three-legged stool”
• Education – Conferences, workshops, seminars ensuring city officials and staff are informed on new laws. Allows for cities interact and learn from other cities.
• Lobbyists typically monitor over 1,000 bills a year that impact local governments.
• Political capacity – Regional Manager network works to get membership informed and engaged on legislative
bills, but to build political capacity to fight statewide initiatives as well
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Who is behind the Taxpayer Deception Act?
• California Business Roundtable (CBRT) represents
California’s wealthiest corporations.
• They donated over $16 million to fund the
qualification of the Taxpayer Deception Act.
• This measure is a bait and switch trick that would
benefit those corporations at the expense of
everyday taxpayers, through tax carve-outs and fee
exemptions that fund critical local services.
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Taxpayer Protection Act Top Contributors
Kilroy $4.6 million
AMR $3.6 million
Douglas Emmet $3.5 million
Blackstone $3.5 million
Michael Hayde $2.6 million
Hudson Pacific $1 million
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org ▪ “Taxpayer Protection Act”
▪ ACA 13: vote threshold
▪ ACA 1: 55% Local Infrastructure Measures
▪ Expands Rental Control
▪ Marriage Equality: Repeal of Prop 8
▪ Low-Rent Housing: Repeal of Local Approval
Requirement
▪ Pandemic Funding (Higher Income Tax)
▪ Employment Lawsuits (PAGA) Reform
▪ $18 Minimum Wage
▪ Referendum on Oil Drilling Limitations
▪ Fast Food Minimum Wage
November 2024 Election – 11 measures as of March 27 2024 Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org What’s on the Horizon?
• Lawsuit filed by Governor Newsom and the Legislature
▪ Argues that the CBRT initiative is a revision rather than an amendment to the constitution.
▪ Court is hearing oral arguments on May 8.
▪ Cal Cities has filed an amicus brief.
• ACA 13 (Ward)
▪ Requires any state or local initiative measure to conform to any increased voter threshold that it seeks to impose on future ballot measure.
▪ Cal Cities supports ACA 13 (Ward)
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Fiscal Impact: Cal Cities Analysis
▪ Over $20 billion of local
government revenues
over 10 years at risk.
▪ $2 billion each year
from fees and charges
adopted after January
1, 2022, at risk.
▪ Hundreds of millions of
dollars of annual
revenues from tax and
bond measures
approved by voters
after January 1, 2022,
cancelled.
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Threats to Local Government
▪ Poorly written initiative will open floodgate to massive litigation on every level of government.
▪ This measure undermines the will of local citizens in over 100 communities in California that passed local
revenue measures after January 1, 2022, that do not
comply with the new rules and will be voided
retroactively.
▪ Powerful corporations and big real estate developers
are trying to buy themselves a law that shields them
from having to pay their fair share.
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Redefines Fees and Penalties for local
governments
▪ All fee increases need to be approved by two-thirds of local legislative body.
▪ New standards for fees and penalties will cause
countless new studies by local governments.
▪ Fees and penalties will now be subject to massive
number of lawsuits and force governments to have
endless elections on fee schedules costing local
governments millions of dollars.
Strengthening California Cities through Advocacy and Education @calcities @calcities @calcities.org Get Involved
▪ Join the growing list of organizations in opposition
▪ Educate members about measure
▪ Advocate opposition to other organizations
Check out The Taxpayer Deception Act/
Strengthening California Cities
through Advocacy and Education
@calcities @calcities @calcities.org
THANK YOU
David Mullinax
Channel Counties Division
[email protected] • (805) 797-3530