No on Proposition 15

“There is an exodus. California businesses are leaving the state in droves. In just 2018 and 2019 — economic boom years — 765 commercial facilities left, 13,000 between 2009 and 2016. Super-high taxes, potholes in the road, fires. I don’t know what I’m getting for my superhigh taxes.”

These words were part of recent interview of liberal Californian and HBO star Bill Maher!

Proposition 15 is one of the worst measures the legislature ever put on the ballot. It removes the long-standing protection of 1978’s Proposition 13 on taxing property. It allows counties to reassess large business properties every other year. The tax bite on them would be huge and unpredictable in the future.

Think about It. Higher property taxes will only accelerate the departure of many larger companies — jobs are lost from these companies that generally can afford to pay their employees better. Larger companies that remain will undoubtedly increase prices to cover the higher cost — passing it along to those they serve, no matter their size, and indirectly or directly to us. When prices rise, sales generally decrease and both large and small businesses suffer. We pay even more and more jobs are lost.

Even in the best of times, raising taxes on California businesses is not a smart idea. Even Bill Maher seems to agree. Vote no on Proposition 15.

— Gary Eckman/Member of Central Solano County Taxpayers Group

Fairfield sure a safer and healthier future for our residents and our children.

— Joseph Feller/Chair Sierra Club Solano Group Vallejo