Should Progressives Support Proposition 88?

The California Democratic Party, the state PTA and the state Federation of Teachers are all against it, while the California Teachers Association remains neutral. This puts these groups in common cause with anti-tax zealots like the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association. In the Official Ballot Argument against Prop 88, right-wing opponents say that it undermines the “clear intent of Prop 13 to limit property taxes,” an argument not likely to convince many voters who care about education. But progressives have very different reasons for opposing Proposition 88.

“It’s a regressive tax that will unfairly burden low-income homeowners,” said School Board candidate Jane Kim. “We just don’t have the guts to tax wealthy individuals and businesses fairly, and we should be going after Prop 13.” Prop 88 would charge every parcel of real property in the state (regardless of size or value) a flat $50 fee. While elderly and disabled homeowners have an exemption, there is no equivalent break for low-income homeowners or parcels with low property values. “A $50 parcel tax is nothing for someone living in a $3 million house,” said Natasha Marsh of the League of Pissed Off Voters, but it’s another expense for working-class people struggling to get by.

But Tim Redmond, executive editor of the Bay Guardian, argues that this is not realistic. “In a perfect world and in a relatively sane world, property taxes in Marin would pay for schools in Bayview,” he explained. And while a parcel tax is more regressive than an income tax, it is far less regressive than a sales tax, which disproportionately hurts poor people the most. “Only those who own property will pay it -- not renters,” said Redmond. “And unlike bond measures, landlords in San Francisco can’t pass it on to their tenants. It’s hard for me to oppose anything that is remotely non-regressive and with the $50 parcel tax, the schools will be better off than they are now.”

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