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== Reform proposals ==
== this section is editable in box below, or by editing [https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Qatrl5XkCPFe9FN5u1I6UkGlJg-cgIxx9EqJbTfd0M/edit?usp=sharin this Google Doc]. <gdoc id="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Qatrl5XkCPFe9FN5u1I6UkGlJg-cgIxx9EqJbTfd0M/edit?usp=sharin"></gdoc> ==
A. Repeal for commercial property only<br/> (also known as "split roll" reform).
=== [http://www.evolve-ca.org/our-plan/ Evolve CA proposal]: ===
==== '''Implement this reform in a smart way'''.<br/> Some commercial properties have not been reassessed in 40 years, meaning their owners are still paying property rates based on 1970s assessments. Our proposal will gradually phase-in changes to tax rates. Upon implementation, it will take three years until non-residential, commercial property owners will be paying taxes based on their current market value. ====
==== '''Establish regular reassessment of non-residential, commercial property in California.'''<br/> No other state in the country has frozen commercial property tax rates. Most states reassess commercial property every 1-5 years. ====
=== '''Maintain current Prop. 13 protections for all residential property'''.<br/> Homeowners, home renters, apartment owners, and apartment renters will not be affected by this reform. ===
==== '''Provide relief for small businesses'''<br/> Small business owners will be exempt from this reform and also provided with direct tax relief through elimination of the business personal property tax. ====
Criticisms of 'split-roll' reform:
==== California Chamber of Commerce. ====
“Our position has always been that if you’re going to have a tax increase, it should be broad-based and universally applicable,” says CCC policy advocate Jennifer Barrera. “A split-roll tax treats residential property differently from commercial property, so it’s discriminatory.” (quoted in [Abramsky 2016]).
==== YIMBY Action: ====
"We are conflicted about that proposal because it risks incentivizing municipalities to build only commercial and not residential, to increase their tax revenue." (Laura Clark, YIMBY Action, quoted in [Reisenwitz 2017]).
=== Repeal or raise business tax, pair with low-income tax credit. ===
but mitigate resulting upward pressure on rents by expanding state income-tax credits for low-income renters. [Sexton 1999].
=== Raise the reassessment cap from 2% to 4% ===
[Sexton 1999].
=== Repeal inheritabilty of tax assessments ===
[Sexton 1999].
=== Defer tax or tax increase payments until sale ===
==== California program for seniors & disabled. ====
==== Oregon program. ====
==== Lexington, Kentucky proposed program ====
===== (see [Musgrave 2017]): City would make a loan to certain homeowners to cover increase in property taxes. Applicants would have to have lived in their property at least five to 10 years. Their income would have to be at or below 80 percent of the area median income and their property taxes would have to increase more than 12 percent from the prior year. Homeowners would have to re-apply each year. The city would only pay for the increase in the property tax, not the entire property tax bill. The city’s payment would be a loan that would have to be repaid when the property is sold. =====
== Reform-related Events / Forums ==
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