Red County, California

From the office of the California Secretary of State:

Earthquake Destruction 1906 San Francisco Buy From Art.com

Secretary of State Debra Bowen [on January 29, 2010] announced the proposition numbers for the five measures set to appear on the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot and invited interested Californians to submit arguments to be included in the Secretary’s Official Voter Information Guide. The guide, also known as the ballot pamphlet, is mailed to every voting household in California.

Proposition 13
Property tax: new construction exclusion: seismic retrofitting.

SCA 4. (Resolution Chapter 115, 2008), Ashburn. The California Constitution generally limits ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property. For purposes of this limitation, “full cash value” is defined as the assessor’s valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill under “full cash value” or, thereafter, the appraised value of that real property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change of ownership has occurred. The California Constitution excludes from classification as “newly constructed” the portion of reconstruction or improvement to a structure constructed of unreinforced masonry bearing wall construction, that is necessary to comply with any local ordinance relating to seismic safety, during the first 15 years following the reconstruction or improvement. The California Constitution also authorizes the Legislature to exclude from classification as “newly constructed” the construction or installation in existing buildings of certain seismic retrofitting improvements or improvements utilizing earthquake hazard mitigation technologies. This measure would instead exclude from the definition of “newly constructed” the portion of an existing structure that consists of the construction or reconstruction of seismic retrofitting components, as defined by the Legislature. This measure would delete the existing exclusion for structures constructed of unreinforced masonry bearing wall construction, and the existing grant of authority to the Legislature to exclude certain seismic retrofitting improvements or improvements utilizing earthquake hazard mitigation technologies.

Another run at the one and only original Proposition 13. My recommendation: vote NO.

For those wishing to submit an argument or rebuttal:

People may submit arguments for or against any measure. Arguments selected for the Official Voter Information Guide will be on public display between February 23 and March 15. If multiple arguments are submitted for one proposition, state law gives first priority to arguments written by legislators in the case of a legislative measure, and first priority to arguments written by the proponents of an initiative in the case of an initiative measure. Subsequent priority for all measures goes to bona fide citizen associations and then to individuals. No more than three signers are allowed to appear with an argument or rebuttal to an argument.

Ballot arguments cannot exceed 500 words and rebuttals to ballot arguments cannot exceed 250 words. All submissions should be typed and double-spaced. They may be hand-delivered to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214. If faxed, the original copies must be received within 72 hours. The deadline to submit ballot arguments is February 9 by 5:00 p.m. and the deadline to submit rebuttals to the ballot arguments is February 18 by 5:00 p.m.

Secretary Bowen also invited candidate statements for inclusion in the Official Voter Information Guide. Candidates for statewide constitutional office (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Board of Equalization member) who have agreed to accept the voluntary campaign spending limits under the law may buy space for statements of up to 250 words at $25 dollars per word. United States Senate candidates may buy space for a 250-word candidate statement in the voter guide and are not subject to campaign expenditure limitations. The deadline to submit candidate statements to the Secretary of State’s office is February 17 by 5:00 p.m.

For more information on ballot measures, candidate filing requirements and election dates, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/2010-elections.

To view past state voter guides, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/voter-information-guides.htm.