A new report from the California Legislative Analyst's Office demystifies the highly consequential and controversial property tax limit enacted by Proposition 13.
The California Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) released a new report to detail Prop. 13—a 1978 law that limited property taxes in the state with consequences lasting to this day.
The report, titled "Common Claims About Proposition 13," endeavors to answer the many questions about the impact of the law, with the data available to the LAO.
Call it a frequently asked questions document if you will, but anyone who wants to understand more about how land use policies intertwine with municipal finance in the nation's most populous state (and one suffering from similar crises of housing and infrastructure as much of the rest of the country) would do well to study the report.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Background
- Are Similar Property Owners Taxed Differently Under Proposition 13?
- Do Proposition 13’s Benefits for Property Owners Vary With Income?
- Does Proposition 13 Reduce Property Turnover?
- Did Proposition 13 Cause Residential Properties to Pay a Larger Share of Property Taxes?
- Does Proposition 13 Discourage New Business Creation?
- How Does Proposition 13 Affect the Stability of Property Taxes?
- How Did Proposition 13 Change Local Governments Mix of Tax Revenues?
- What Happened to Local Government Revenues After Proposition 13?
- Did Proposition 13 Reduce the Number of New Local Governments Formed?
- Does Proposition 13 Alter Local Government Land Use Decisions?
- Does Proposition 13 Alter Property Owners’ Development Decisions?
- Did Proposition 13 Increase Fees on Developers?
- Did Assessments Associated With Development Rise After Proposition 13?
- Does Proposition 13 Increase Homeownership?
- Figure Data Sources
FULL STORY: Common Claims About Proposition 13
California's 'Split Roll' Property Tax Reform, Explained
California voters will consider a landmark reform of its infamous property tax system this November. Prop. 15 would remove property tax caps on commercial properties established by Prop. 13 in 1978.
Prop 13 on the Ballot in California—Just Not the Prop 13 Everyone's Worried About
A case of mistaken identity has embroiled California in election controversy, as claims of bias and misinformation swirl around Prop 13 (2020), Prop 13 (1978), and an anticipated "split roll" initiative.
Californians Could Vote to Expand Prop 13 Property Tax Breaks in November
A biting opinion piece asks why Californians would want to worsen the effects of Proposition 13 by voting yes on Proposition 5.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment
Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.
Porches, Pets, and the People We Grow Old With
Neighborhood connections and animal companions matter to aging with dignity, and how we build can support them. Here’s a human-scale proposal for aging in place.
Single-Stair Design Contest Envisions Human-Scale Buildings
Single-stair building construction is having a resurgence in the United States, where, for the last several decades, zoning codes have required more than one staircase in multi-story housing developments.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Charlotte
Municipality of Princeton
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)