Will 2024 Be The Year of the Second CA Taxpayer Revolt?

Prop 13 became synonymous with “taxpayer revolt” in California during its campaign and passage in 1978, but can lightning strike twice with a new taxpayer revolt on the November 2024 ballot — and in a much bluer California than 46 years ago?

Reform California’s Carl DeMaio says yes.

DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and a candidate for State Assembly, has been leading the fight alongside a coalition of taxpayer advocates to pass a new tax-fighting measure this November that would nullify many tax hikes and make it harder to raise taxes in the future: the California Taxpayer Protection (CTP) Initiative. They also aim to block two initiatives by state Democrats aimed at repealing Prop 13.

DeMaio says the effort is the most aggressive grassroots anti-tax campaign California has seen since Prop 13, which helps keep property taxes low and makes it harder for the government to raise taxes. It was passed in 1978 thanks to the efforts of tax-fighter Howard Jarvis. 

At a time when the country was suffering from stagflation, gas lines, soaring unemployment, and high tax burdens — sound familiar? — Californians led by Jarvis fought back with Prop 13 amid opposition from politicians of both parties.

“The CA Republican Party was of no help to Howard Jarvis in 1978 — despite being highly competitive in state elections and governance at the time — and Democrats viciously opposed Prop 13,” explained DeMaio.

Again, sound familiar? In 2024, the California Republican Party has so far neglected to join the fight to protect Prop 13 — and the parallels between 1978 and today aren’t lost on DeMaio.

“Despite being opposed by establishment insiders from both political parties in 1978, Prop 13 still passed with 65% of the vote thanks to grassroots support — and we can replicate that and do it again in 2024 because California’s hardworking families are suffering and demanding relief from the state’s extreme cost of living,” said DeMaio.

But DeMaio and coalition leaders face a battle on two fronts in their taxpayer revolt plan: one is on the defense by opposing Democrats’ attempts to repeal Prop 13 with two measures called ACA-1 and ACA-13, and the other is on offense to pass the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative.

Step 1: Defend Prop 13 By Defeating ACA-1 and ACA-13

After years of slowly attacking and chipping away at Prop 13, California Democrats have moved in for the kill shot by placing two constitutional amendments, ACA-1 and ACA-13 on the ballot in 2024 to gut Prop 13, make it easier to raise taxes in California, and stop the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative from passing. Here’s what they do:

• ACA-1: Lowers the threshold to approve special tax hikes from two-thirds to 55%
• ACA-13: Blocks the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative from being approved by increasing the votes required for approval from a majority to a super-majority

“California Democrats know if the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative (CRPI) passes, the days of lying to voters to impose costly and unfair tax hikes in California will be over and that’s why they are using ACA-1 and ACA-13 to confuse voters and derail the effort to save Prop 13,” DeMaio explains.

So what is the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative, and why do Democrats want to defeat it so badly?

Step 2: Go on Offense to Nullify Many Taxes and Make it Harder to Raise Taxes Through Passing the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative

The “California Taxpayer Protection Initiative” will supersede and nullify many of tax hikes being placed on the November 2024 ballot, and it would close loopholes politicians have exploited in recent years to impose tax hikes. That nullification provision would immediately produce tax savings for Californians.

The measure would also strengthen the requirement that local tax hikes must receive two-thirds voter approval to go into effect. In addition, the measure would combat false and misleading ballot titles currently used by state and local politicians to deceive voters into voting for ballot items that contain hidden tax hikes.

Specifically the measure will:

• Restore a two-thirds vote for any tax hike – thus ending the way they imposed the car and gas takes hikes recently
• Impose a stricter definition on what is a "tax" so politicians can't call them "fees"
• Require the words "tax increase" be included on the official title of any measure that appears on the ballot that contains a tax hike inside of it, and
• Repeal dozens of tax hikes imposed after Jan 1, 2022 – immediately saving taxpayers money

“Restoring a 2/3 vote requirement is crucial to blocking tax hikes and emphasizes the importance of our mission to break the Democrats’ supermajority in the State Legislature — so we can stop these taxes from ever passing in the first place,” explained DeMaio.

“So it’s not hard to see why the tax-and-spend Democrat supermajority is foaming at the mouth to defeat the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative — they don’t want their gravy train of OUR money to stop flowing!” explained DeMaio.

DeMaio says that the only way to defeat ACA-1 and ACA-13 and pass the California Taxpayer Protection Initiative is a grassroots taxpayer revolt. That’s why he’s encouraging the public to join the fight and mobilize their friends and family by doing the following:

1. Contribute: Chip in to Reform California’s efforts to put together the volunteers, canvassers, ads, events, and coalition we’ll need to win this fight at the link below.

2. Share Voter Guide: Make sure to use and spread Reform California’s annual “Plain English” voter guide, which explains these ballot measures in plain English and makes recommendations on politicians who support our taxpayer revolt! Get the guide at ElectionGuideCalifornia.org