Smug Californians thought they were so smart when they passed Proposition 13 (officially named the People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation) by 65%. The law set the initial property tax at 1.25% of the purchase price and restricts annual increases of assessed value of real property to an inflation factor, not to exceed 2% per year. I was one of those who voted for the law.
“We’ve chosen mediocre public service, and more private money. We’ve decided not to tax ourselves as much. We’ve basically turned our back on schools. It’s a choice we made within our state.” John Mockler, First to Worst
We were warned that there would be a price to pay for the imposition of the regulaton but we ignored the politicians.
This year many of us supported the anticipated 1% reduction in sales tax and a reduction in auto licensing fees.
Now we have to face the consequences of our choices. State parks are being closed, the highways are falling apart, and the schools lack funds to employ all the needed teachers. The final blow is our famed higher education system is now too expensive for the middle class. Even community college are asking students to pay $26.00 per unit in Los Angeles.
I earned by four year college degree by attending a junior college for two years at a cost of $6.50 per semester and two years at a state university at $42 a semester. The books cost more than the enrollment fees. I graduated in 1962.
In 1960, UCLA tuition fees were practically non-existent. However, by 1985 they had reached $722. Today University of California 2011-12, systemwide tuition and fees for California residents will be $11,124.
All students enrolling at California State University pay the systemwide State University Fee which is currently $4230 per academic year for undergraduate students enrolling in more than 6 units per term.
The consequence of our selfish decision to control property taxes is the 11.9% unemployment rate, the growing number of poorly educated citizens that lack the skills to compete in a more technologically demanding society, the deteriorating highway system, the closing of state parks, etc.
By the way California is not alone. Massachusetts, Oregon, Colorado and Florida all went on to copy key provisions of the Proposition 13, while voters in 18 other states passed nearly 40 statewide tax-limiting measures.
It should come as no surprise that Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, which compares the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in 70 countries around the world, ranked the United States 14th out of 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for reading skills, 17th for science and a below-average 25th for mathematics.
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