At our February 13 meeting, There will be a presentation by David Williams of the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) about the Schools and Communities First initiative ( SCF ).

The SCF ballot initiative will reclaim $12 billion for schools and local communities by closing corporate loopholes and requiring commercial and industrial property owners to pay fair market value property taxes. The initiative maintains critical exemptions for homeowners, renters and seniors from increased property taxes while also implementing new small business tax relief.

Note that although this measure will reform 1978’s Proposition 13, it shouldn’t be confused with the Proposition 13 that appears on the March ballot.  The March Proposition 13 is a bond measure for the renovation and construction of education facilities. 

This measure will reform the property tax system, so that commercial and industrial properties will be taxed based on their market value, instead of their purchase price.