Score one for Marin taxpayers: the IJ editorial board just came out against San Rafael’s Measure W, the city’s proposed real estate transfer tax. CST Vice President Kingston Cole was in the room making the case against Measure W— read what he told them.
CST Advocacy Helps Secure Marin IJ “NO” on San Rafael Transfer Tax (Measure W) Read Post »
Why is the Tax Tsunami hitting so hard? Citizens’ initiatives! They’ve become a sneaky workaround, requiring a bare majority to pass instead of the standard two-thirds vote. Prop 43, closes that loophole for good. It restores the ⅔ threshold to all special taxes. No exceptions.
Join CST in Voting Yes on Prop. 43 Read Post »
As the Nov. 3 election approaches, CST has been a key part of the opposition to Measure P, the 15-year childcare parcel tax. In a Sept. 20 Marin Independent Journal report by Richard Halstead, CST board member Lucy Dilworth laid out the organization’s core objection: “It asks Marin taxpayers to commit to a new tax for 15 years without giving voters enough information to know what they’re buying.”
CST IN THE NEWS: Opposing Blank Check Childcare Tax Read Post »
Your letters made a difference in defeating this fiscally irresponsible measure. The Governor’s veto cited conflicts with the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. He stated that the increased benefits would drive up costs for state and local governments and introduce fiscal risks to California’s retirement systems.
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Action works! Thanks to all of you who responded to our call to action and signed on to a letter urging Governor Newsom to veto AB-1383. The letters of proponents of fiscal responsibility made a difference.
Governor Vetoes AB 1383 Read Post »
Measure W on the November ballot is the latest, and it’s not a small tax: It would increase the city’s real property transfer tax from 0.2% to 1% — a fivefold jump — on every home and business that changes hands. Before voting, it’s worth asking why the city keeps needing more, and whether this particular request holds up.
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Start with the 400% increase. On a $1 million home sale, the city’s cut goes from $2,000 to $10,000. Buyers likely end up paying for all or part of the tax, thereby increasing their closing costs or monthly mortgage expense. Landlords who buy or refinance a rental building pass the added cost through to tenants as higher rent. And to the extent to which a seller bears part of the tax payment, it reduces proceeds available for the next home or eldercare.
Reject Measure W and stop San Rafael’s taxing treadmill Read Post »
Ross Valley School District Measure E failed in a May 6 special election in the face of an opposition campaign led by the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers. This is an important development with future implications for Marin more broadly.