September 8, 2016

CSAC is seeking a veto or signature on the following bills awaiting action by Governor Brown in the Finance and Operations policy area. Position letters and full bill language is available here and please contact Dorothy Johnson Holzem, CSAC Legislative Representative, with any questions at dholzem@counties.org.

Veto Request

Assembly Bill 587 (Chau). Mobilehome Tax Amnesty Program – Waives all outstanding property taxes and associated penalties and interest for mobilehome owners missing proper registration for their mobilehome. This represents a potential loss of tens of millions of dollars for counties and other local government entities without providing an improved registration system to avoid unregistered mobilehome owners from seeking property tax forgiveness in the future.

Assembly B 717 (Gonzalez), Assembly Bill 1561 (Garcia), Senate Bill 898 (Nguyen) – Sales Tax Exemptions – These measures exempt diapers, feminine hygiene products, and animal blood products, (respectively) from all state and local sales and use taxes. CSAC has no concern with the state offering their sales tax rate (approx. 3.4%) as part of the exemption but objects to providing the full share that includes funding for corrections, health services, and other critical local programs through counties.

Assembly Bill 2476 (Daly). Parcel Tax Notification – Requires local agencies to contact out of jurisdiction property owners regarding any parcel tax gaining voter approval through US Mail. The bill allows cost reimbursement through proceeds of the parcel tax, diverting revenue intended for infrastructure and services to the supposed benefit of a small subset of individuals.

Senate Bill 958 (Lara). Redistricting Commission – Mandates that a redistricting commission in Los Angeles County is established, creating a duplicative and costly system that undermines existing county-based efforts and authority.

Signature Request

Assembly Bill 1952 (Gordon). Property Tax Postpone Program – Makes important changes to the property tax assistance program for homeowners who are senior or have a disability by changing the constraints on the existing state fund. Without this change, the current program will fall well short of the need to help homeowners avoid property tax delinquencies.

Assembly Bill 2291 (Achadjian). Property Tax Payment Plan Fee – Allows counties to levy a fee to pay for the implementation and administration of a property tax payment plan system to assist homeowners with tax liabilities through a monthly payment schedule. Currently there is no cost recovery mechanism and any such plan is paid through general fund revenues.

Assembly Bill 2686 (Mullin). Vote by Mail Special Elections – Authorizes counties to conduct special elections called to fill a legislative or congressional vacancy through an all-mail ballot system, which could prove to be a major cost savings. The state stopped reimbursing counties for these special elections in 2008.

Senate Bill 450 (Allen). All Mail Ballot Voting System – Establishes an optional all vote-by-mail elections system with regional vote centers to assist with growing elections costs and low voter turnout.

Senate Bill 817 (Roth) VLF Allocations – Adjusts the existing allocation of vehicle license fee (VLF) revenues and restores funds to California’s newest four cities, which was the assumption as part of their incorporation review by the LAFCO since VLF makes up a critical source of a city general fund upon their incorporation.