INFORMATIONAL HEARING BETWEEN
THE SENATE GOVERNANCE AND
FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET IN FISCAL
REVIEW.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO BE
ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR
PARTNER.
SITE TO MY RIGHT CENTER DRIVE SO
INTO THE MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER FOUR FOR
THEIR COLLABORATION ON THIS
HEARING TODAY.
MADAM CHAIR IT IS A PLEASURE TO
BE TO WORK WITH YOU AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION TURNS
A HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS OLD
THIS YEAR.
AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE
FOCUSING ON SOME VERY SPECIFIC
ITEMS RELATED TO THE BOARD.
IN MANY WAYS EVEN THOUGH IT'S
CELEBRATING ITS HUNDRED AND
FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY IT'S ALSO
STARTING OVER NOW.
NOW THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF
ITS RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN
SHIFTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TAX
AND FEE ADMINISTRATION.
IN THE OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS.
IN NOVEMBER.
VOTERS ELECTED FOR NEW BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION MEMBERS WITH A
DIVERSE SET OF EXPERIENCES AND
BACKGROUNDS.
AND ALL HAVE HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING.
WE HAVE TWO HERE TODAY WE
WELCOME BOTH OF THEM TO THE
HEARING.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD.
CONTROLLER YE THE OFFICE OF
STATEWIDE AUDITS AND EVALUATIONS
IN THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD
ISSUED AUDITS IN THE PAST.
AND IN RECENT YEARS.
HAVE ESTABLISHED FINDINGS THAT
CANDIDLY OR SHOCKING AND
UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY STATE
AGENCY.
THESE AUDITS AND REPORTS
REVEALED AN AGENCY WHERE
PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS ACTIONS
HAD COMPROMISE THE BASIC
FUNCTIONS OF A TAX
ADMINISTRATION AGENCY.
THESE FINDINGS RESULTED IN
GOVERNOR BROWN THE LEGISLATURE
TAKING SWIFT A NEARLY
UNPRECEDENTED ACTION BY ENACTING
THE TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY AND
FAIRNESS.
A B. ONE OH TWO WHICH REDUCE THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION TO ITS
CORE CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES.
AND CREATED TO IT NEW AGENCIES
TO TAKE ON ITS OTHER TAX
ADMINISTRATION COLLECTION AND
EDUCATION RULES.
THE NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS
SAY IT IS A NEW DAY.
BY THE WAY AGAIN NONE OF THOSE
NEW BOARD MEMBERS WERE PRESENT
DURING THE SCANDALS.
AND THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS SAY
THEY NEED TIME TO TURN THE
AGENCY AROUND.
CRITICS SAY THERE IS NO NEED FOR
A POLITICALLY ELECTED BOARD.
OR AGENCY.
AND THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
SHOULD BE INTO ANOTHER STATE
DEPARTMENT.
TODAY'S HEARING IS THE FIRST
STEP IN A PROCESS TO MAKE SURE
THAT EIGHTY ONE OH TWO WAS
DELIVERING ON ITS PROMISE.
THAT OUR REVENUE AGENCIES ARE
FAIR.
EFFECTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE
TAXPAYING PUBLIC.
THIS SPECIFIC GOAL FOR TODAY.
IT IS TO EVALUATE THE BORDER OF
EQUALIZATION'S PROGRESS.
OVER THSE FIRST ESSENTIALLY
NINETY DAYS.
TODAY EIGHTY TODAY'S HEARING
SHOULD PROVIDE US WITH THE
INFORMATION WE NEED ABOUT THE
BOARD.
ITS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND
WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE
INTERNALLY SINCE THE TRANSITION
OF THE BOARD AND BUDGET.
THE STAFF AND BUDGET.
WE AS A COMMITTEE OF GOVERNANCE
AND FINANCE A BEGUN TO EVALUATE
WHAT THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
AND IF AN INDEPENDENT BOARD IS
STILL NECESSARY NOW THAT 95% OF
ITS BUDGET AND STAFF HAS BEEN
TRANSITION.
THEY STARTED APPROXIMATELY
TWENTY FOUR MONTHS AGO AT FORTY
TWO HUNDRED STAFF.
AND NOW THEY HAVE LESS THAN.
TWO HUNDRED TODAY WE'RE GONNA
HEAR FROM THE STATE CONTROLLER
WHO IS WORK FOR AND SERVED ON
THE BOARD AS A MEMBER FOR MANY
YEARS.
AND HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THE
REFORM MOVEMENT.
WE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION CHAIRWOMAN
CHAIRWOMAN CONE WHO BELIEVES THE
NEW BOARD NEEDS TIME TO ENACT
REFORMS.
WHILE ALSO HEAR FROM A PANEL OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE
WITH THE BOARD BOTH BEFORE AND
AFTER A B..
ONE OH TWO WE ALSO WANT TO HEAR
FROM ALL OF YOU THE PUBLIC.
SO WE WOULD WELCOME ANYONE TO
COME FORWARD AND SPEAK DURING
THAT TIME EACH SPEAKER WILL BE
PROVIDED TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS
THE COMMITTEE'S [inaudible]
FINALLY [inaudible]
THE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING
TO BE SOME HARD DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THE BOARDS FUTURE.
HAPPENING IN THE CAPITAL THIS
YEAR.
THE ONLY QUESTION IS THIS.
WHETHER WE HAVE THOSE
DISCUSSIONS IN PUBLIC.
HARINGS LIKE THIS.
ONE OR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WE BELIEVE IT'S BEST TO HAVE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE LIGHT
OF THE PUBLIC.
EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS MAY BE DIFFICULT
TODAY AND IN THE MONTHS TO COME.
WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO BE TO TURN
IT OVER TO OUR PARTNER CENTER
DRAWS OVER ANY OPENING COMMENTS
YOU MAY HAVE AND AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK --
THANK YOU CHAIR OF CENTER
MCGUIRE FOR CONVENING THE
HEARING TODAY.
AS THE NEW CHAIR OF THE SENATE
BUDGET FISCAL REVIEW
SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER.
FOUR I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
TODAY'S DISCUSSION WHICH IS
RELATED TO A VERY IMPORTANT PART
OF MY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE
SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR.
THE REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION WAS DONE THROUGH
A BUDGET TRAILER BILL A B..
ONE OH TWO AT THE APPROPRIATE
LEVEL OF RESOURCES FOR NOT ONLY
THE BE -- WE
BUT ALSO THE DEPARTMENT OF TAX
AND FEE ADMINISTRATION AND THE
OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR
CONSIDERATION OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE WILL HEAR THE BUDGETS OF ALL
THREE OF THESE ENTITIES AT OUR
APRIL ELEVENTH SUBCOMMITTEE
HEARING.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT TODAY'S
CONVERSATION WILL PROVIDE SOME
CONTEXT FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET
DISCUSSIONS AS SUCH I LOOK
FORWARD. TO EVERYONE'S
PARTICIPATION THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US HERE TODAY I LOOK
FORWARD TO INNOVATIVE IDEAS --
TO HELP US.
GO DOWN THE WELCOME STATE
SENATOR BETTY AND THE REST OF
TODAY'S PANELISTS THANK YOU AND
GOOD MORNING THANK YOU TO ALL MY
COLLEAGUES HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH BETTER CONTROL
OR WE'D LIKE TO BE AT OFFER --
THE VICE CHAIR OF A GIVEN
FINANCE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A
FEW OPENING REMARKS THAT'S
ALRIGHT -- I
WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH AB ONE OH
TWO AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
CONVERSATION TODAY THEY'RE
TRYING STRIKE THE BALANCE
BETWEEN.
FOCUSING ON MAYBE ON LESS
GOVERNMENT.
BUT ALSO LOOKING AT THE FACT
THAT WE WHEN I HAVE ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE CAN
APPEAL -- TO
ON TAX MATTERS.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD. TO THE
DISCUSSION IN ORANGE COUNTY HAVE.
OUR VOTERS DON'T LIKE TO GIVE UP
ELECTED SEATS.
JUST SORT OF SOMETHING THAT THAT
HAPPENS BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK
AT WHAT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE
TAXPAYERS OVERALL SO --
ARE GREAT THANK YOU FOR HOLDING
THE HEARING MR ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE THE IMPORTANT I'M
ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
HOW IS OUR NEW.
TAXES AGENCY DOING ITS ONLY BEEN
A COUPLE MONTHS.
LITERALLY AND AND THE ARGUMENTS
FOR MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO
THANK YOU.
SO MUCH MISTER SENATOR BACK TO
THE VICE CHAIR CENTER NIELSEN A
BUNCH SO.
FOR THIS GERMAN AND I WANT TO
OBSERVE AS WE PROCEED.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT
THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE DOING.
THE TRAILER BILL PROCESS IS VERY
INAPPROPRIATE PARTICULARLY FOR
REORGANIZING AN AGENCY WITH SUCH
A HISTORY IS THIS OF A HUNDRED
AND FORTY YEARS.
THE TRAILER BILL CONSIDERATION
IS CURSORY.
IN NO DEPTH.
IT IS ACTUALLY A CORRUPTION OF
THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THAT'S A LONG VOICE COMPLAINT
YOU'RE NOT HEARING ANYTHING NEW
FOR ME HERE [inaudible]
BUT THIS.
PROCEEDING AND FUTURE ONES TO
COM WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT.
AS THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES THE
FUTURE PATHWAY IN COURSE THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION FILLED
CHERISH THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO NOW
DELIBERATE FINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AS A VICE
CHAIR WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO
OVER THE FORMAT.
QUICKLY IN INTERNET OVER THE
CONTROLLER.
BETTER CONTROLLER WILL BE
PROVIDED FIFTEEN MINUTES TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE.
HER TESTIMONY BUT THE WE WILL
THEN OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE
FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
WE'LL THEN WELCOME.
THE B. O. . CHAIR CALLING AS
WELL AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THEY WILL BE PROVIDED --
KILLING.
TWO PEOPLE TIME FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL.
WOMEN CAN EXAMINE THE BOARD'S
FUTURE.
EACH REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT FOUR
PANELISTS PANEL WILL HAVE FIVE
NO MORE THAN SEVEN MINUTES TO BE
OUR PRESENT.
WILL THEN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WE WELCOME PUBLIC COMMENT EACH
INDIVIDUAL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO
BE ABLE TO SAY THEIR PIECE.
AGAIN WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT ALL
OF YOUR HERE TODAY THANK YOU
MADAM CONTROLLER FOR TAKING TIME
OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE THE
FLOOR IS YOURS YOU HAVE FIFTEEN
MINUTES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MISTER
CHAIRMAN GOOD MORNING HAD THE
MORNING MADAM CHAIRWOMAN AND
SENATORS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION
TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY --
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOLDING
THIS HEARING AND I WANT TO JUST
ECHO --
CENTER NIELSEN'S POINT AND THAT
IS THIS IS --
EXACTLY THE CHARGE FOR THAT --
I THINK --
FOR ALL OF YOU IN TERMS OF YOUR
WOMAN SAID TO INFORM THE WORK OF
THE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE AS WELL --
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DECENT --
INFORMATIONAL HEARINGS ALSO
WHILE THIS MAY BE THE FIRST
VIEWING OF THIS MOVIE FOR SOME
OF YOU I DO HAVE TO POINT OUT
THAT THAT SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN
SHOWING ON AND OFF IN SACRAMENTO
FOR ALMOST EIGHTY YEARS.
OF ALMOST --
JUST AS SOON AS CALIFORNIA
ESTABLISHED A STATEWIDE SALES
TAX IN PERSONAL INCOME TAX BACK
IN.
NINETEEN THIRTY THREE AND BEFORE
THE END OF THE DECADE THERE ARE
ALREADY REPORTS AND STUDIES THAT
WERE PREPARED REGARDING SOME
TYPE OF TAX AGENCY CONSOLIDATION
OF THAT SHOULD TAKE PLACE.
AND SINCE THEN THERE HAVE BEEN
PROPOSALS LARGE AND SMALL.
RANGING FROM CONSOLIDATING
TAXPAYER OUTREACH EFFORTS TO
LARGER TENDS TO CONSOLIDATE THE
FRANCHISE TAX BOARD THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND EVEN THE
EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT INTO A SINGLE ENTITY.
AND THAT'S YOUR COMMITTEE
BACKGROUND --
PAPER POINTS OUT LOW MORE THAN
EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO THE
LEGISLATURE ENACTED ASSEMBLY
BILL ONE OH TO CREATING THE
OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS OF THE OTA
COMMONLY KNOWN.
AS THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT TAX
AND FEE ADMINISTRATION OR CD TFA.
OF THE BILL MOVED EVERYTHING THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION TO HAVE
RESPONSIBILITY --
FOR IN STATE STATUTES SO THOSE
ABOUT 90% OF ITS OVERALL DUTIES
TO THESE TWO NEW AGENCIES. FOR
THAT REALITY REALLY LEADS US TO
QUESTIONS I BELIEVE.
THE FIRST IS GIVEN WHAT THE
BOARD IS NOW --
SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE AN ELECTED
BOARD.
AND IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO
THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT
IS THE BEST MOST TAXPAYER
FRIENDLY AND RESPONSIVE WAY.
THE MINISTER THE PROGRAMS THAT
TODAY REMAIN UNDER THE BOARD'S
UMBRELLA. FOR ME THE ANSWER THE
FIRST QUESTION IS NO.
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION DOES
NOT NEED NOR SHOULD CONTINUE TO
HAVE AN ELECTED BOARD AND I SAY
THIS WITH PHONE.
YOU'RE REALLY SOME --
SADNESS BECAUSE I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD AND I'M STILL CURRENTLY ON
THE FIFTH VOTING MEMBER OF THE
BOARD -- BUT
THE BOARD HAS CHANGED OVER TIME
AND CERTAINLY NOW WITH THIS --
LIMITED RESPONSIBILITIES OR
REDUCE RESPONSIBILITIES I DO
BELIEVE THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN
ELECTED BOARD.
AND SO THE SECOND QUESTION IS
AND WHAT IS THE BEST MOST --
TAXPAYER RESPONSIVE AND FRIENDLY
WAY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAMS
THAT REMAIN TODAY UNDER THE
BOARD'S UMBRELLA.
THE FORTY NINE OTHER STATES
MANAGE QUITE WELL WITHOUT
ELECTED BOARDS AND I'M CONFIDENT
THE CALIFORNIA CAN DO THE SAME.
OF THE ANSWER TO THE SECOND
QUESTION --
DOESN'T HAVE AN OBVIOUS ANSWER
AND I THINK THAT'S FOR US TO
SORT AS WE CONTINUE THESE
CONVERSATIONS --
WHICH MEANS THAT SO THERE'S
REALLY NOT A WRONG WAY TO DO IT --
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE IS
AN EXPERT IS A COMING UPON THE
DUTIES THAT THE BORDER IS A
UTILIZATION STILL?
HAS AND I WANT JUST A TECHNOLOGY
EXPERTISE AMONG THE STAFF WHO
REALLY ARE THE OF THE LIAISON
WITH OUR OUR TAX PAYING
COMMUNITY PARTICULARLY OUR OUR
STATUS AS SEASON.
AND I AM SURE THAT THE ASSESSORS
AND AND THE OF WHAT VEHICLE
SECTION REPRESENTS WILL BECOME
ANYMORE ABOUT THAT.
AND UP SO BY THAT I MEAN A
CREDIBLE CASE TO BE MADE TO
LEAVE THE B. ALWAYS PROGRAMS
RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE JUST
ELIMINATE THE ELECTED BOARD IN
THE CONSTITUTION.
OR YOU CAN MOVE ALL THE PROGRAMS
TO SAY THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD
OR YOU CAN MOVE THE MALL TO THE
CITY TODAY --
OR YOU COULD SPLIT THE PROGRAMS
BETWEEN AGENCIES BECAUSE THERE
ARE SOME PROPERTY TAX PROGRAMS
THAT HAVE SPECIFIC POLICY OF
FOCUS.
OF THE NAME ON THE DOOR OF WHO
ADMINISTERS HIS PROGRAMS IS LESS
IMPORTANT THAN HOW THEIR
MINISTER NOTHING CENTER MORE
LOCK YOUR POINT IS EXACTLY WHAT
WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON AND THAT
IS YOU KNOW WHAT SHOULD.
BE THE EXPECTATION OF THE
TAXPAYERS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY
WILL BE SERVED AND IS THE ONE
WHERE WE KNOW WILL BE RESPONSIVE
AND CERTAINLY ACCESSIBLE. FOR
TAXPAYERS.
SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT THESE
PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT.
ARE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM
AND FIRST I JUST WANNA START OUT
WITH THE PROPERTY TAX ADVOCATE --
GENERALLY THERE IN EACH TAX
AGENCY THERE IS A TAXPAYER
RIGHTS ADVOCATES OFFICE --
BUT IN THE END THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION SUPPORT --
PROPERTY TAX ADVOCATE THAT WAS --
REQUIRED A PERSON TO THE MORGAN
PROPERTY TAX PAYERS BILL OF
RIGHTS IN STATUTE.
THEN THERE IS THE STATUS AS
PROPERTY PROGRAM WHICH ENTAILS
ESTIMATING --
MARKET VALUE AND ASSESSING
ANNUALLY INTERCOUNTY PIPELINES
EXCLUSIVE OF OF LAND AND RIGHTS
OF WAY.
AT ALL THE TAXABLE PROPERTIES
OWNED AND USED BY REAL ROADS AND
CERTAIN PUBLIC UTILITIES.
THERE IS THE COUNTY ASSESSOR
PROPERTY PROGRAM OF THE
OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION PROVIDES OVER
THE COUNTY ASSESSOR --
PROPERTY PROGRAM AND THERE IS A
WHOLE LIST OF OF FUNCTIONS OF IN
TERMS OF THE OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITY OF BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION I'M SURE YOU'LL
HEAR FROM.
THE ASSESSORS ABOUT BUT
CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF HAVING A
TEAM GOING UNTIL SEE HOW WELL
OUR COUNTY ASSESSORS ARE DOING
WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ASSESSMENT
PRACTICES.
A AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY
THE ISSUES OF ISSUANCE OF
GUIDANCE TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN --
ACHIEVE SOME UNIFORMITY ACROSS
COUNTIES --
WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPERTY TAX
ASSESSMENT ISSUES.
OF FINALLY THERE'S A CENTRALIZED
WEBSITE FIRST A LOCAL STATUS OF
PROPERTY TAX LAW RULES LEGAL
OPINIONS.
OF FORMS INSTRUCTIONS FAQ'S AND
MORE AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO
THAT IS THAT THAT COULD REALLY
BE HOUSE AND EVEN BE MORE
CENTRALIZED AT THE STATE LEVEL
SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH A ONE
STOP SHOP FOR ALL.
OUR TAX MATTERS.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO JUST
RECOGNIZES THAT HAVING AN
ELECTED BOARD --
YES WE HAVE --
FOR ELECTED BY DISTRICTS WHO ARE
TAXPAYER ADVOCATES --
CERTAINLY REPRESENTING FOR THE
POSITION.
BUT ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM WHO
ARE AFFECTED OUR TAXPAYER
ADOCATES.
AND I KNOW I KNOW WE SURE THE
GOAL OF ENSURING THAT THESE
PROGRAMS ARE ADMINISTERED
EFFICIENTLY AND CLEARLY FOR ALL
TAXPAYERS.
AND I'M SURE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO
BE HELPFUL TO US TOO BIG OF A
CONTINUED DELIBERATIONS ABOUT --
SHOULD YOU DECIDE THAT THE
ELECTED JERRY OF THE BEST HOME
FOR THESE PROGRAMS THAT I JUST
MENTIONED.
AND LET ME JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF
OTHER REMARKS WITH RESPECT TO OF
pRESPONSIBILITIES WE HAVE --
AS I SAID A LEVEL OF EXPERTISE
THAT THE STAFF --
PROCESSES THAT CAN BE MOVED
REALLY ANYWHERE IN STATE
GOVERNMENT.
AND THESE ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS
THAT.
ARE BETWEEN THE OF THE
ASSESSMENT TEAM AT THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION WITH OUR COUNTY
ASSESSOR'S WITH OUR STATE SSE --
ENTITIES OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WILL NOT CHANGE HIGH ANTICIPATE
THAT IF WE NO LONGER WANT AN
ELECTED BOARD THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS WILL REMAIN INTACT.
EITHER AS THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION WITHOUT AN ELECTED
BOARD OR AS A SEPARATE LEE
FUNCTIONING --
DIVISION AND ANOTHER AGENCY.
WE ALSO --
ALSO JUST WANTED BOARD.
AND I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF
THIS FOR A LONG TIME FOR EACH OF
THE TAX AGENCY'S WHETHER WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE FRANCHISE TAX
BOARD CD TWO FAA.
OR THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF THERE IS ALWAYS
ROOM TO ENHANCE THE TAXPAYER
ADVOCATES RESPONSIBILITIES.
OF THERE ARE IS IS A POINT OF
CONTACT FOR MANY TAXPAYERS WHEN
THEY ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT HOW TO
NAVIGATE OF THE TAX AGENCY'S.
OF BUT IT IS ALSO A PLACE WHERE
THEY CAN GET TO A REALLY
PERSONAL ATTENTION TO THEIR
ISSUES -- IN
TERMS OF HOW TO NAVIGATE TO
RESOLUTIONS WITH ANY STATE TAX
ENTITY.
SO -- I
WOULD SAY AGAIN THERE IS NO
OBVIOUS RIGHT OR WRONG DIRECTION
IN TERMS OF WHERE THESE
FUNCTIONS SHOULD GO.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME.
WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THE
TAXPAYERS ARE WELL SERVED AND AS
I DID SUPPORT THE EIGHTY ONE OF
TWO THE BIGGEST STUFF --
AREA OF FOCUS THAT I HAD IN
TERMS OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT ARE NOW HOUSES SEATED HALF
A AND WITH --
TA IS TO BE SURE THAT THE
EXPECTATIONS WERE CLEAR IN TERMS
OF BOTH OF THOSE AGENCIES TO
TAXPAYERS.
THAT THE OUT REACH IS A ROBUST
IN TERMS OF HEALTH OF THE IS --
WELL STAFFED AND OPEN FOR
BUSINESS ANY TIME OF DAY.
SO -- WITH
THAT OF I THINK IT WILL STOP
THERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT THE NUMBERS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU MADAM CHILLER
NEIGHBORS WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM THE CONTROLLER
SENATOR BELL.
GLAD THE THE CONTROLLERS HERE
AND SOMETHING'S BEEN.
STICKING IN MY CRAW. FOR ABOUT A
YEAR AND ASKED HER ABOUT IT.
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION --
WAS RESPONSIBLE [inaudible] FOR
A REVENUE NEUTRAL.
EVALUATION OF THE SALES TAX ON
GASOLINE AND CONVERTING IT TO A
REGULAR GAS TAX.
THEIR JOB UNDER THE STATUTE.
WAS NOT TO MAKE A DECISION
WHETHER OR NOT THAT TAX IS
APPROPRIATE.
BUT TO SIMPLY FIGURE OUT OF WHAT
THE REVENUE NEUTRAL LEVEL OF A
GASOLINE TAX WOULD BE.
THAT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY --
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS
DICTATED BY THE LEGISLATION --
HOWEVER LAST YEAR THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION DECIDED --
TO REJECT THE GAS TAX INCREASE.
IN OTHER WORDS --
NOT HAVE A REVENUE NEUTRAL --
PROCESS BUT TO REJECT THIS I
BELIEVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION --
AND ALSO --
THE CALCULATIONS.
AND DECIDE NOT TO INCREASE THE
GAS TAX COMMENSURATE WITH THE
WHAT THE SALES TAX WOULD HAVE
BEEN AS RESPONSIBLE BY THE
LEGISLATION.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS --
COULD YOU TELL.
WHY THEY DID THAT AND --
ALSO WHAT THE REVENUE LOSS TO
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WAS --
AND MAYBE YOU CAN JUST GIVE US
ON I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW
DIRECTLY BUT WHAT THE ORDER OF
MAGNITUDE OF REVENUE LOSS RIGHT
WAS SO -- I
I FELT THAT WE PASSED A LAW.
WE WE PASS A LAW THAT GAVE THEM
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKING
THAT ADJUSTMENT.
AND THEN THEY JUST DECIDED TO
IGNORE WHAT WE PUT ON OUR
STATUTE.
SO CAN YOU CAN YOU OR MAYBE
COMMENT ON THAT SURE THANK YOU
SENT A BILL FOR THE QUESTIONS --
AND I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH YOU
OF THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY
WAS REALLY EVERY YEAR TO DO
THOSE SO CALLED TRUE UP.
AN ODD TO BE SURE THAT OF THE
ALL THE SPIRIT OF THE STATUTE
WAS CARRIED OUT.
ON NOT TO LEGISLATE THE OF THE
DEGREE OF THE DEATH GOT SACKS
INCREASE AND AND I WAS A NO VOTE
I SUPPORT THE STAFF HAS
PETITIONED FUNDS LOST SO WE'RE
IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
AND WE CAN ILL AFFORD TO HEAR
REALLY LOSE OF THOSE DOLLARS --
FROM TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS --
BUT IT WAS --
AT AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE
PRIOR BOARD WHO VOTED ON THE SUN
TERMS OF WHAT THE MOTIVATION WAS
BUT I'M SURE GIVEN THE
ROBUSTNESS OF THE CONVERSATION --
THAT DID TAKE PLACE --
THINK THERE WERE THERE WAS A
FEELING THAT THERE WAS SOME
EXPOSURES THAT --
WE WERE INCREASING GAS TAXES
WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A MECHANISM
THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAD A
ACTIVE THAT --
REALLY JUST PLACED IN OUR HANDS
THE AS YOU SAY OF THE INSURING
THE REVENUE NEUTRALITY AND THE
TRIP THAT WE WOMAN I WOULD LIKE
TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH
REVENUE.
WAS LOST TO THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WE CAN WE CAN GET BY
THIS INAPPROPRIATE ACTION OF THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
AND IF IT IS ON THE HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF COURSE I
DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN RECOVER
THAT AT ALL.
THERE'S NO WAY IT'S JUST.
LOST --
REVENUE AND THEN WHAT THE IMPACT
OF THAT REVENUE LOSS WAS BECAUSE
THOSE FUNDS WERE FOR ROAD
REPAIRS --
AND THE MONEY WOULD GO TO ROAD
REPAIRS --
THERE WERE ABOUT AND WE'RE WE
HAD THIS HUGE ROW REPAIR BACKLOG.
AND THAT'S WHY WE PAST SP.
ONE AND I THINK THAT --
THIS IS.
AN EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE
BORDER LEGALIZATION --
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE
RESEARCH DONE ON WHAT THE
REVENUE LOSS WOULD BE A SORT OF
BILL WHAT I WILL DO.
LET ME GET YOU THE EXACT
MAGNITUDE OF THE DOLLAR LOSS I
THINK WITH RESPECT TO THE IMPACT
ON OUR PROJECTS OF THE
CALIFORNIANS PETITION COMMISSION
AND OTHERS MIGHT BE.
BETTER INFORMED ON THAT THAT WE
CAN COORDINATE WITH THEM AS WELL.
OF AND WHAT WHAT I WOULD JUST
SAY THAT YOU KNOW THE ROLE OF
THE BOARD IS REALLY TO APPLY THE
LAW. TO APPLY THE LAW OF WE'RE
NOT LEGISLATORS WE IMPLEMENTED A
A WHAT ALL OF YOU AN ACT AND
WERE THERE TO APPLY THE LAW AND
I THINK --
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE MY NOBLE
INDICATED THAT IT WAS AN OVER
REACH.
BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MUCH --
ROAD REPAIRS.
AND SAFETY PROJECTS WERE SET
BACK.
DO THAT LOST REVENUE AND I THINK
THE THE CONSEQUENCE OF IT IS.
WAS VERY BIG IN TERMS OF THE
ROAD REPAIRS THAT WERE NOT ABLE
TO DO SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH A CHARMING
DRAWS ON I WILL WORK WITH THE
CONTROLLER IN HER OFFICE TO BE
ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION.
EQUALLY TO ALL MEMBERS A TERM
DRAWS A OF CONTROLLER YE.
OF YOU MENTION.
MANY OF THE IN YOUR OPINION MANY
OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES COULD BE
MOVED ELSEWHERE.
IN STATE GOVERNMENT.
OF COULD YOU DIG IN.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THAT
AND WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT THAT'S
ONE QUESTION [inaudible]
OF HOW DOES THE NEW STRUCTURE.
IMPROVE OVERSIGHT OF AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE TWO NEW
DEPARTMENTS.
OF AND THE THIRD IS YOU HAVE AN
OPINION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THIS BOARD THE BILL WE SHOULD BE
AN ELECTED.
POSITION --
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK OR
A WE'RE BETTER OFF WITH IT NOT
BEING AN ELECTED POSITION SURE
SURE -- LET
ME SEE THIS MAYBE START WITH THE
LAST QUESTION FIRST --
CALIFORNIA REMAINS THE ONLY
STATE -- ALL
OTHER FORTY NINE STATES ARE ABLE --
TO REALLY CARRY OUT THESE DUTIES --
ADMINISTRATIVELY.
OF THEIR VERY VERY STRUCTURES
FOR HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE A
MISTER WITHIN THE OTHER FORTY
NINE STATES WHAT I'M SUGGESTING
HERE IF A MANAGER WOMAN IS OUT
OF CALIFORNIA CAN FOLLOW SUIT.
OBVIOUSLY THE EXPERTISE LIES
WITH THE STUFF ANDWE CAN REALLY
HOW'S THE STUFF ANYWHERE COULD
BE IS EVEN A NEW STANDALONE.
OF SMALL DEPARTMENT IF YOU
WANTED IT THAT WAY NO NEED FOR
AN ELECTED BOARD HIM BUT IT OVER-MY TIME OF SERVING ON THE BOARD.
OF CERTAINLY HAD A FULL WORKLOAD
WHEN I SERVED ON THE BOARD WE
HAVE THE THE APPELLATE FUNCTIONS.
WE WERE A FULL TIME WORKING
BOARD.
OF AND EVEN OVER STARTING --
TO DIMINISHED A BIT MANY MORE
CASES WERE GOING TO SETTLEMENTS
AND AND TODAY OBVIOUSLY THERE IS
NO PUBLIC FUNCTIONS ON OTHER
THAN OUR PROPERTY TAX APPEALS
FOR STATUS AS THESE BEFORE THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
SO I THINK THOSE OF FUNCTIONS
CAN BE HOUSE ELSEWHERE THE
GUIDANCE ASSESSORS AND YOU'LL
HEAR FROM SOME THE ASSESSORS
TODAY IS IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL OF FUNK --
PURPOSE OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION ESTABLISHING THE
CONSTITUTION WAS INSURE
UNIFORMITY ACROSS COUNTY LINES
IN TERMS OF OF PROPERTY TAXATION
ASSESSMENTS.
AND WHAT I BEGAN TO SEE OF IS
REALLY OF REALLY MOVING AWAY
FROM THAT UNIFORMITY THAT --
IN TERMS OF HOW TESTERS WERE
BEING SERVED AND SOME GETTING
THE SOME THESE PROGRAMS --
ON THE GROUND FOR TAXPAYERS IN
OTHER DISTRICTS THAT WERE MORE
ROBUST AND DOING SO SO I THINK
HAVING.
EVERYTHING UNDER A SINGLE
UMBRELLA A SINGLE ADMINISTRATION
JUST ENSURE THAT ALL TAXPAYERS
HAVE ACCESS TO SIMILAR RESOURCES
CAN BE SERVED EQUALLY.
AND CERTAINLY WITH RESPECT TO
PROPERTY TAX ON THE GUIDANCE --
TO ALL FIFTY EIGHT COUNTIES THAT
IS PART OF THE OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION FOR COUNTY ASSESS
PROPERTIES.
IS A REALLY IMPORTANT --
AND THAT GUIDES REALLY CAN COME
FROM THE EXPERTS HOUSE ANYWHERE
IN STATE GOVERNMENT.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE
FUNCTIONS IT'S ABOUT --
HOW WE BEST SERVE TAXPAYERS OF I
KNOW THE ELECTED MEMBERS BELIEVE
THAT THEY ARE CONDUITS FOR THEIR
CONSTITUENTS TO COME?
AND I HAVE THEIR ISSUES --
RESULTS OF FRANKLY IF WE HAVE A
HUNDRED TWENTY LEGISLATORS THAT
ALSO CAN BE CONDUITS FOR THAT.
AND IT'S JUST TO ME --
BUT ADDED IT'S USEFUL PURPOSE
ANYMORE.
COULD YOU TELL IN SUCH A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME SINCE THE CHANGES
WERE MADE US WITH THE
DIFFERENCES ARE.
YEAH I KNOW IT'S A VERY SHORT IT
IS A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND I
DON'T WANT TO BE UNFAIR WITH
RESPECT TO THE ASSESSMENT LOOK
ANY REORGANIZATION OF THIS
MAGNITUDE IS GOING TO TAKE TIME.
AND SURE THERE BEEN ROCKY STARTS
AND AND BUT I DO THINK THAT BOTH
THE DEPARTMENT STILL CD TFA AND
NO T. A. AND AND A MENTOR WILL
YOU WILL HAVE A LOTS OF
OPPORTUNITIES --
TO A REALLY DO A DEEP DIVE ON
THIS --
DURING YOUR SUBCOMMITTEE PROCESS
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT --
YOU KNOW ITS --
SETTLING IN OKAY AS NOW HEARING
REGULAR CASELOADS AND THEY'LL
PROBABLY RAMP UP AS CASES OR WE
HAVE JUST BEEN AMORE CASES ARE
BEING PREPARED OF FOR A HEARING --
TA ACIDITY FAA OF I THINK IT WAS --
TOUGH FOR THESE --
STUFF -- TO
LOOK AT BEGINNING --
IN A NEW ORGANIZATION THAT --
DIDN'T HAVE ELECTED DIDN'T HAVE
AN ELECTED BOARD.
OF AND I THINK PART OF THAT WAS
BECAUSE WE DON'T WE THEY JUST
FELT LIKE THAT LISTEN.
I DON'T WANT TO EVEN GET INTO
THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE PAST BONES A LOT OF
THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED AND
REPORTS AND AND ON A SORT OF
BEEN DONE.
BUT BUT I THINK THE NEW
DEPARTMENT CERTAINLY SELLING AND
I THINK THAT AS YOU BEGIN TO
LOOK AT THE VARIOUS --
TAX AND FEE PROGRAMS ARE BEING
ADMINISTERED BY THE NEW
DEPARTMENT OF THEY ARE ALL WELL
STUFF THEY ARE BEING RESPONSIVE --
THE OUT REACHES US STARTING TO
BECOME MORE ROBUST AND SO IT
JUST TAKES TIME.
OF IT'S DIFFICULT TO MOVE ON IT
JUST THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES
ACROSS SOME --
DEPARTMENTS AT ORGANIZATIONS AND
STATE GOVERNMENT AND HOPE THAT
IT BEGINS TO DO ITS JOB
OVERNIGHT --
BUT I EASE OF STAND BY LIFE
SUPPORT OF A B. ONE OH TWO LAST
YEAR AND AND CENTER NIELSEN.
OF I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT
ABOUT THE BUDGET TRAILER BILL
PROCESS --
POINT WELL TAKEN TERMS OF A
MAJOR MAJOR POLICY INITIATIVE
AND CERTAINLY REORGANIZATION --
TAKING PLACE IN A BUDGET TRAILER
BILL I WILL SAY THOUGH THAT --
SET ITSELF FOR A LEADING UP TO
THAT TRAILER BILL.
FOR MANY MANY YEARS UP TO THAT
POINT HAD REALLY BEGUN --
TO YOU KNOW REALLY DIG DEEP IN
TERMS OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT.
GAVE RISE TO A BE ONE OR TWO AND
SO I DID AND THE AND A LOT OF
OVERSIGHT THAT HAD BEEN DONE
LEADING UP TO THAT POINT AND I
AND FRANKLY I WOULD HAVE
SUPPORTED THE BILL OF I DON'T
THINK THAT --
THAT WAS ALREADY KNOWN.
OF THAT --
THAT I THINK THIS IS GOING TO
CONTINUE TO TAKE TIME AND WILL
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
US SENATOR ALSO WHEN YOU HAVE
YOUR OVERSIGHT HEARINGS I THINK
BOTH DEPARTMENTS WILL.
BE VERY FAIR AND ABOUT THEIR
SUSSMAN ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE
TODAY -- BUT
ALSO ARE VERY VERY --
EAGER TO THE KITCHEN TO DO
BETTER.
WHAT IS YOUR YOUR RELATIONSHIP
NOW WITH THE TWO NEW DEPARTMENTS --
WHAT WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OR
RELATIONSHIP AND YES HAS THAT
BEEN REALLY FIGURE IT OUT?
OR IS THAT CHANGING WHAT.
OF TWO NEW DEPARTMENTS AS OF
NONE.
OF THESE ARE EXACTLY BRANCH OF
AGENCIES SO THAT OUR DEPARTMENT
OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION.
AS AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND
EXECUTIVE TEAM OF LIKE ANY OTHER --
STATE AGENCY OF THE OFFICE FOR
TACK OF TAX APPEALS SO SAME
THING THERE IS A AN EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
A DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT AS
WELL AND WITH ANY APPELLATE
ORGANIZATIONS OF I THINK IT'S
WISE NOT TO HAVE ANY
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
AS THEY DO TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT
SO OF MY OF OF THE ONLY ROLE I
HAVE NOW IS A A SERVING AS THE
FIFTH VOTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
WE'RE GONNA CENTER GOT JOHNNY.
THANK YOU I HAVE SOME COMMENTS
THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE AND THEN
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
BUT FIRST OF ALL I REALLY THINK
THAT.
THIS YEAR IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
RETHINK AND RE PURPOSE AND
MODERNIZE THE ROLE OF THE BOARD
OF THE LETTERS OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION.
I'M SERVING IN MY THIRTEENTH
YEAR AND THE LEGISLATURE IN ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS
STRUGGLED WITH HIS THAT.
CALIFORNIANS HAVE PASSED MORE
THAN SEVENTY BILLION DOLLARS
WORTH OF BEHIND MEASURES AND THE
TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
ABOUT A HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT
BILLION IN LOCAL SCHOOL MY
MEASURES BUT YET THERE'S LITTLE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND IT SEEMS THAT
IN THE LEGISLATURE WE WILL LOOK
AT SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S A
PROBLEM.
AND THEN WE ARE OFF TO THE NEXT
CRISIS OR A CRITICAL THING THAT
THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO DEAL WITH.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S
A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THE
LEGISLATURE. TO DESIGNATE SOME
SPECIFIC STATION TO COMPLEMENT
WHAT WE DO IN THE LEGISLATURE
AND ASSIST US WITH THE BOND
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT.
AND PARTICULARLY --
TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE PRESENT AT
PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT THEY HAVE
AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE AS A
BODY AND THE THE STATE ELECTED.
AS A WHOLE ARE REALLY TAKING
SERIOUSLY OUR JOB AS BEING GOOD
CUSTODIANS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS
AND IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE
HAVE PASSED --
NUMBER OF WATER BEHIND MEASURES
THERE ARE ELEVEN DIFFERENT WATER
FINANCING COMMITTEES THAT ARE
STILL IN PLACE YEAH AND I
BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REPURPOSE SOME OF
THE REMAINING FRIENDS.
THAT ARE SITTING IN SOME OF
THOSE COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN
IN USE THIS YEAR THE LEGISLATURE
IS THINKING ABOUT IMPOSING A
WATER TAXI FOR SAFE.
AND CLEAN DRINKING WATER
PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF THE
CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTIES --
BUT YET I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS
STILL REMAINING MONEY THAT WE
CAN RE PURPOSE BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
THE BOARD TO LOOK AT SOME OF
THOSE PARTS OF MONIES DO IT
PUBLICLY REPORT BACK TO THE
LEGISLATURE.
AND I'M DOING A BILL ON TO THAT
END TO INCLUDE THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FOR RE
MODERNIZING THE PURPOSE OF THE
B. ELLIE.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT
TOGETHER AND THAT WE CAN DISCUSS
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE WITH --
OVER SIDE OF THE BOND MEASURES
AS WELL AND AND PERHAPS WE CAN
ENTERTAIN THAT IDEA WHILE WE
WHILE WE CONSIDER.
GETTING RID OF THE B. O. E. ALL
TOGETHER I AND REPURPOSE IT TO
HAVE IT ASSISTING COMPLEMENT THE
LEGISLATURE IN THIS AREA.
IS THAT A YES THANK YOU SENATOR
JOHNNY AND I I THINK A POINT
WELL TAKEN WITH RESPECT.
TO LOOKING AT HOW WE DO
MODERNIZE SOME OF THESE --
OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
FOUR OF REFLECTIVE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING TODAY --
I THINK YOU'LL HEAR FROM SOME
THE ASSESSORS THAT --
WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY TAX
ASSESSMENTS AND OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITIES BY THE BOARD
AND CERTAINLY --
OUR ROLE WAS STATUS AS
PROPERTIES THAT --
A LOT HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF
THE LANDSCAPE SINCE PROP
THIRTEEN BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TO
THE ASSESSORS.
OF WHAT I WILL SAY WITH RESPECT --
TO JUST A BOND OVERSIGHT --
OVERSEE THOSE OF LITTLE BIT OF
AN ELEPHANT WITH THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION SURCHARGE IS REALLY
WITH PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS.
I HAPPEN TO SERVE ON A NUMBER OF
THOSE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES
I WOULD BE HAPPY.
TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE
ACTIVATE THOSE SOONER RATHER
THAN LATER.
OF THAT SO I HOPE I MEAN LOOK
I'M I'M IN THE ACOUNTABILITY
BUSINESS IN MY DAY JOB WITH MY
GREEN EYE SHADE DUTIES AND THAT
WHAT I LIKE TO SEE IS THAT EVERY
DECISION THAT YOU MAKE WITH
RESPECT TO HOW YOU ALLOCTE BOND
PROCEEDS.
ARE GOING TO ENTITIES THAT HAVE
STRONG INTERNAL CONTROLS AND AND
SO MAYBE SOME OF THE THE EARLY
WORK OF THOSE FINANCING
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES ABOUT FOR
BONDS COULD BE LOOKING AT
EXACTLY AT THOSE TYPES OF
QUESTIONS SO.
I THINK THERE IS ROOM TO LOOK AT
MODERNIZING THE FUNCTIONS OF
THOSE OVERSIGHT OF BODIES OF BUT
IT IS A LITTLE BIT WITH RESPECT
TO THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
CITIES I WILL ALSO SAY I WANTED
JUST A COMMENT THAT MY COLLEAGUE
OUR STATE TREASURER OF FIELD
AMALA.
REALLY HAS THE OVERSIGHT WITH
RESPECT --
TO NO BON BON OVERSIGHT AND BOTH
THE STATE AND LOCAL ON MEASURES
AS THAT ISSUE ISSUANCES HAPPEN
OUT OF THAT OFFICE.
SENATOR JOHN DID YOU WANNA ASK
ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY TO SHOW
COMMENTS NO NOT AT THIS TIME
OKAY THINK SO MUCH SOONER.
LIKE TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
I HAVE A FEW WANTED TO OPEN IT
UP SEE IF WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE
WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
THE COMMITTEE [inaudible]
ALL RIGHT.
CONTROLLER I JUST SAID A FEW
OTHER QUESTIONS AND AGAIN THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE TO
BE HERE TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION THAT SETS.
THE PAY OF THE LEGISLATURE'S WAS
CONSTITUTIONAL [inaudible]
OFFICERS.
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET
YOUR TAKE ON THE BOARD MEMBER
COMPENSATION.
AS WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT
TRANSITION.
OF BUDGET OVERSIGHT.
AS WELL AS POLICY
RESPONSIBILITIES SHIFTED TO
OTHER AGENCIES.
IS THAT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF
PAY AT ONE FIFTY ONE TO SIXTY
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE
FOR YOU TWO PARTER.
NOW THAT THERE IS.
A SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY.
DESCRIBE WHAT THE DAY TO DAY WAR
WORK LOOKS LIKE FOR BOARD MEMBER --
AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
PLEASE OF THANK YOU MISTER
CHAIRMAN OF LET ME ANSWER YOUR
FIRST QUESTION FIRST A LITTLE
BIT OF AN AWKWARD QUESTION BUT
LET ME TRY TO PHRASE IT THIS WAY
OF MANY OF YOU KNOW I'M A
LIFELONG GIANTS FANS.
SO I MEAN OF I KNOW.
SO SOME DAYS I SEE A SO
SOMETIMES I'M SEE MADISON
BUMGARNER KITCHEN I THINK HE IS
VASTLY UNDERPAID OF SEVEN
MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND OTHER DAYS I DON'T THINK
HE'S WORTH THE MAJOR LEAGUE
MINIMUM SALARIES SO CLEARLY I'M
NOT IN THE CELL RESETTING
BUSINESS.
OKAY -- BUT
I I'M I'M GONNA LEAVE THE
POSITION COMMIT COMMISSION WITH
COMMISSION WILL LOOK AT AS
REALLY OF THE DUTIES OF THE OF
THE BOARD AS THEY DO WITH OUR
WITH LEGISLATORS AND CERTAINLY
WITH OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICES AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT
WE ALL FOCUS FIRST ON THE
REMAINING PROGRAMS OF THE BE A
WE STAFF THE MINISTER ON A DAY
IN AND DAY OUT BASIS AND AND I
THINK THAT REALLY HAS TO BE KIND
OF THE CRUX OF WHAT WE DECIDE.
ON BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE
PROGRAMS --
AND THEN OF ONLY THEN CAN THE
CONVERSATION BEGAN ABOUT WHERE
THEY SHOULD BE HOUSE --
WHAT ON GOING RESPONSIBILITY OF
ELECTED MEMBERS MAY HAVE --
ENDS AS I SAID --
TO THE MAIN FOCUS HERE SHOULD BE
OUR TAXPAYERS A WHALER WHERE
WILL THEY BE BEST SERVED A WITH
RESPECT TO THE PROGRAM SO ALL
LEAVE THE SALLY SAID INTO THE
ASSISTANCE COMPENSATION
COMMISSION --
I'M ALSO GONNA BLEED VALVE FOR
THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE
HERE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN AND AND A
OF THE TO COME IN ABOUT WHAT THE
DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES ARE OF A
BOARD MEMBER HI IT'S SO
RADICALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHEN I
SERVED ON THE BOARD.
OF AS I SAID --
ONE NIGHT DURING MY TENURE ON
THE BOARD IT WAS A FULL TIME.
OF POSITION THAT --
REQUIRED JOBS IT JUST REALLY
UNDERSTANDING THE CASES THAT
CAME BEFORE THE BOARD WITH A
FULL CASELOAD --
AND WITH THE APPELLATE FUNCTION
LEGALIZATION ON IT'S A FRANCHISE
AN INCOME TAX MATTERS AND
BUSINESS TAX MATTERS --
I I COULDN'T COMMENT ABOUT WHAT
THE DAY TO DAY --
LIFE OF A BOARD MEMBER LOOKS
LIKE TODAY --
ONLY TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT
WITHOUT THOSE DUTIES AT THIS
POINT.
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT
TO TALK ABOUT ADVOCACY ON BEHALF
OF TAXPAYERS.
YOU COVERED THAT A BIT BUT I
LIKE TO BE TO DO A DEEPER DIVE --
THERE ARE SOME THAT SAY THAT
TAXPAYERS ARE GOING TO BE AT
RISK.
IF IT IS WITHIN AND A HALF.
THE REMAINING FORTY CALL
ISOLATION RESPONSIBILITIES ARE
SHIFTED. TO A TO BEING NAMED
AGENCY END OR AN INDEPENDENT --
ACTED BOARD WERE TO BE DISSOLVED
IN THE B. O. E. IS A STANDALONE
DEPARTMENT.
AND I BELIEVE AND I DON'T WANT
TO SPEAK FOR THEM BUT BOARD
MEMBERS ARE.
THEY BELIEVE THE VOICE OF
TAXPAYERS.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE DUTIES OF --
OF THE DAY IN OF THE BOARD.
DEEP DIVE FOR US ON HOW WE
ENSURE TAXPAYERS HAVE A VOICE IN
THE PROCESS BEFORE TURNING IT
OVER.
TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S DOING EXACTLY WHAT
YOU'RE DOING HERE TODAY --
PROVIDING THE OVERSIGHT OF
REALLY A CONTINUING.
TO ENGAGE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS
OF WITH RESPECT --
TO HOW THEY'RE OF FUNCTIONS ARE
ARE BEING CARRIED OUT AND WHAT
IMPROVEMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE
IF THE TAXPAYERS INDEED ARE NOT.
OF ADEQUATELY SIR.
KIND OF A STEEP DIVE IS A IN ALL
OF US WERE ELECTED OFFICIALS AS
I SAID EARLIER TAXPAYER
ADVOCATES OF I STILL DO MY SHARE
OF CONSTITUENT WORK AND I AS I'M
SURE ALL OF YOUR OFFICES DO WAS
WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT WHAT GIVES ME
CONFIDENCE WHEN WE DO IT IS THAT
WHEN WE DO WE FOR MANY OF THESE
MATTERS TO THE BROTHERS TO THE
TAXPAYER OF ADVOCATES OFFICE IN
EACH OF OUR TAX AGENCIES OR TO
THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS WITH EACH
AND WITHIN EACH OF THE TAX.
AGENCY'S THAT'S THE RESPONSE
BACK TO TAXPAYERS WILL BE
UNIFORM FROM ONE DOCTOR TO
ANOTHER.
AND THE I'M NOT SO SURE THAT WE
GET THAT WITH AN ELECTED BOARD
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
BECAUSE THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT
WAYS.
OF INTERACTING WITH THEIR A
CONSTITUENCY ALSO JUST --
SAY THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE
TAXPAYERS THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT WITH WITH WITH REGARD TO
THE CURRENT DUTIES OF THE BOARD
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STATE
ASSESSES.
THESE ARE SOPHISTICATED
TAXPAYERS PUBLIC UTILITIES
RAILROADS --
THE OTHER STILL IS OVERSIGHT
OVER -- THE
GAS TAX --
BUT THESE ARE.
TAXPAYERS WHO DO BUSINESS WITH
THE STATE WHAT WILL NEED TO BE
CLEAR WITH ANY KND OF CHANGES
WHO ARE THEY DOING BUSINESS WITH.
AND WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF
THE RELATIONSHIP OF THAT ENTITY
WITH THE TAX PAYER.
AND THAT COULD BE DEFINED AND
CERTAINLY HAS A SO THE ONGOING
OVERSIGHT OF THAT NEEDS TO
CONTINUE TO BE ROBUST.
BUT IT IS UNIFORMLY TO BE AS
IMPORTANT OF A TAXPAYER SHOULD
NOT --
EXPECT THAT BY VIRTUE OF THE
WHO'S REPRESENTING THEM WHETHER
IT BE ANY OF US AS LEGISLATORS
OR OR ESTATE MY CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICERS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO RECEIVE THE SAME SERVICE.
ASIDE ANY OTHER TAXPAYER SO --
UNIFORMITY IS KEY FOR TALKING
ABOUT A VERY FINITE SET OF
TAXPAYERS WITH RESPECT TO THE
CURRENT BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
DUTIES.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT --
THEY WILL BE --
WILL SERVE UP REALLY ANYWHERE IN
STATE GOVERNMENT SONGS
EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEARER AND
THERE IS AN AVENUE FOR A
TAXPAYER RIGHTS ADVOCATES OFFICE
TO ALSO BE THE CONDUIT FOR VERY
COMPLEX MATTERS.
I WILL HAVE A A CLOSING COMMENT
BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE FINAL
QUESTION IN IT STEVE --
ONE FINAL TIME FROM THIS
COMMITTEE COMMITTEES TO BE ABLE
TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS FROM EITHER OF YOU
BEFORE WE TURN OVER THE BE A WE
CHAIR.
ADVICE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE AS WE MOVE FORWARD
ALONG WITH SENATOR RISES
COMMITTEES CAN CONTINUE TO
EVALUATE THIS ISSUE.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE BRINGING IN
THE COPPER DEPARTMENT TAX AND
FEE ADMINISTRATION TO DO
OVERSIGHT IN THEM AS WELL.
AS OVER THE LAST TWENTY MONTHS --
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
CHALLENGES THERE.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE PARTING
ADVICE --
FOR THE LEGISLATURES WE CONSIDER
TO BE ALWAYS FUTURE.
I THANK YOU ALL.
OLIVIA NAILED IT ON THE HEAD I
MEAN I THINK THE FIRST AND
FOREMOST FOCUS HAS TO BE ON OF
THE PROGRAMS AND HOW BEST TO
CARRY OUT THOSE PROGRAMS ON
BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS.
OF THE HAS TO BE THE FOCUS OF
THE CONVERSATION.
AND I HOPE IN THE COURSE OF YOUR
DELIBERATIONS YOU WILL ALSO --
SIX SOME OF THE INPUT FROM OUR
TAXPAYER GROUPS AS WELL --
AND I THINK WE ALL WANT THE SAME
THING.
THE QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE GOING
TO CARRY IT OUT AND THAT --
WHEN WE LOOK AT CALIFORNIA WITH
OUR UNIQUE SITUATION HAVING THE
ONLY LIKE THE TAX COMMISSION?
AND LOOKING AT THE SUCCESS OF
FORTY NINE OTHER STATES --
WITH THE VARIOUS --
STRUCTURES THAT THEY HAVE THAT --
THE NEED FOR AN ELECTED BOARD IS
OF NO LONGER.
AND AND IF WE GET THE ANSWER TO
THAT QUESTION IS --
NO WE DON'T NEED ELECTED BOARD
THEN I THINK THE QUESTIONS ARE
VERY CLEAR.
FOR OF ALL OF YOU HERE AND THAT
IS SO WHERE DO WE HOUSE THESE
PROGRAMS WHERE DO WE CONTINUE TO
CONTINUE WHAT WE WHAT WE CAN
TAKE THE BE SURE THE EXPERTISE
OF REMAINS ROBUST AND KEYS TO
GET DEVELOPED.
AND HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT
TAXPAYERS HAVE ACCESS. TO THE
SERVICES THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED
TO AND IT'S VERY SO --
ON A SEVEN THAT --
THE CHAIR OF TRANSPORTATION
ADVANCED HERE IN REGARDS TO GAS
TAX.
OXMAN LEE. EIGHTEEN TWENTY
pINTO THE ISSUE OF MEDICAL
CANNABIS IN CALIFORNIA BECAME
VERY AWARE THAT THERE WERE
POLITICAL DECISIONS MADE --
AT A PREVIOUS BOARD THE PREVIOUS
BOARD ON TO ACTUALLY COLLECT THE
TAX ON CANNABIS AND WAS BASED ON
ONE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS
OPINION NOT TO COLLECT TAX.
AND I WILL SHARE WITH YOU.
IN THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT THE
BOARD MEMBER FOLLOWTHE LAW OF
CALIFORNIA VOTERS AND ENSURE
THAT THERE IS TAX COLLECTED.
AND THAT WAS A DEEP CONCERN OF
INAPPROPRIATE MEDDLING --
WHEN THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN ANY
TAX RATE WAS SET IN THE BOARD
WAS NOT COLLECTING ON AN EVEN
BASIS BECAUSE OF BOARD MEMBER
INVOLVEMENT --
AND I WILL SAY.
THAT NUMBER IS NO LONGER THERE --
BUT THAT IS A DEEP CONCERN WHEN.
ELECTED OFFICIALS
INAPPROPRIATELY METAL --
ANGLE AGAIN STATE LAW.
I IN THAT HAS REALLY THAT IS
WHEN MY INTEREST WAS PIQUED OUR
PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AS THAT ACTION HAD
TO BE STOPPED.
END OF MOVEMENT WAS MADE TO DO
THAT BUT AT THAT WAS OF GREAT
CONCERN CENTER ABOUT.
I WAS DOING SOME CHUCHUS OVER
SIX HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WE
LOST. SIX HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS.
BY THEM NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.
SO SO I THINK I'LL GET THE LIST
OF ALL THE PROJECTS AND ALL YOUR
DISTRICTS.
HOW MUCH EACH CITY LOST --
WILL GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU --
IT WAS A TRAVESTY IN MY OPINION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MADAM CENTER I'D LIKE TO MAKE
ONE LAST COMMENT --
WE MADE THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE
LAST YEAR AND I THINK THAT THIS
THIS TOPIC DESERVES MUCH MORE
ATTENTION THAT THAN WHAT WAS
GIVEN TO IT LAST YEAR AND THAT.
WE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE THE FULL LEGISLATIVE
YEAR TO LOOK AT OTHER PROPOSALS
FOR HOW TO HANDLE THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION.
MY CONCERN IS THAT BY
DISMANTLING THE BOARD ALL
TOGETHER AND LEAVING ALL OF THE
DECISION MAKING AND THE APPEALS
MATTERS AND ALL OF THE WORK. TO
STATE AGENCIES ALONG WITHOUT
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS
THAT WE ARE IN THE POSITION OF
THEN LEAVING THE TAXPAYER WITH
LESS THAN A PUBLIC DEFENDER --
SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW WE
CAN MODERNIZE AND AND
RESTRUCTURE THE ROLE OF THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION TO GET
BACK TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT
WHICH WAS.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS AND AND
THEN EMPHASIZING PROTECTION OF
TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH SOONER BUT I'M
SURE ONE MORE QUESTION.
BECAUSE OF THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU
YOU GAVE CENTER MCGUIRE AND THE
EXAMPLE THAT SENATOR DOLE GAVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CONTROLLER
WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT
[inaudible]
UNDER.
A NEW A STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AN ELECTED
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
WHAT HOW WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN
DEALT WITH --
WHY WOULD THE RESULT BE
DIFFERENT SURE OF THANK YOU
MADAM CHAIRWOMAN THE --
I BELIEVE THE RESULT WOULD HAVE
BEEN DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE
OVERSIGHT THE POINTS OF
OVERSIGHT.
RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE
DIFFERENT OF THE MEMBERS AND
CERTAINLY NOW WITH EXECUTIVE
BRANCH OF DEPARTMENTS.
OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY THE COUNT
REALLY RESIDES WITH --
WELL FIRST IN MY WITH MY OLD OUT
ON A DEPARTMENT FINANCE WILL BE
YOU KNOW REALLY --
TO ACCEPT THAT IS A REVENUE
GENERATING ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE
CERTAINLY MONITORING THE REVIEWS
ARE BEING GENERATED OF THE LIST
AS CENTER BILLS EXAMPLE WITH
RESPECT TO THE TRUE UP ON THE
GAS TAX WHAT WAS --
A SOMETHING INDICATIVE OF A KIND
OF A ROLE THAT I PREVIOUSLY
PLAYED AT THE FARM TO FINANCE
ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR WOULD
ENSURE THAT THAT TRIP HAPPEN
THAT CAN BE DONE
ADMINISTRATIVELY --
AND I THINK --
BECAUSE THEY'RE SOME OF THE
POLITICAL OVERTONES TO THAT TRUE
UP WHEN I THOUGHT THE
LEGISLATIVE INTENT WAS VERY
CLEAR ABOUT THE REVENUE JOLLITY.
OF THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN
ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES THAT COULD
HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT AND THEN
THE OBVIOUSLY THE SECOND BRANCH
OUT RESPONSIBLE.
SO THIS IS --
AND AND THEN OBVIOUSLY A BEFORE
ALL OF YOU.
AS YOU'RE DELIBERATING OVER THE
BUDGET --
DELIBERATING OVER THE FUNCTIONS
OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS --
IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH HOW TO
BE SURE IT'S ABILITIES --
NIELSEN [inaudible]
BURTON AUTOMATION --
YOU ALL.
THE LATEST.
THE ISSUE OF ORDERS [inaudible]
WHAT [inaudible]
AND THIS [inaudible]
GREATER PROBLEMS.
FACT THAT ALMOST EVERY AGENCY.
THE STAFF OF ALMOST EVERY.
DOES THE SAME THING.
REGULARLY TRYING TO UNDERMINE
THE INTENT.
OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THAT'S REALLY A HUGE FRUSTRATION.
CONTROL RIGHT EAT IN TERMS OF
THE THE CITIZENS.
ACCESS [inaudible]
UNDERSTANDING.
THEY'RE USED TO A BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION.
SENDING LETTERS IN --
CONTACTING IN SOME MANNER OR WAY.
UNDER THE NEW CONFIGURATION.
WHAT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED. TO
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO THE NEW
WAYS.
THE VOICE THEIR OPINIONS.
AS THE NOTE NEW DELEGATIONS HAVE
OCCURRED AND SETTLE IN SURE IT'S
GOING TO BE VERY CONFUSING ISN'T
IT.
WELL HA NEED NOT BE A METHOD OF
TAXPAYER EDUCATION IS ALWAYS IN
ORDER AND THE NEW DEPARTMENTS
HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN ENGAGED IN
THAT WITH.
VARIOUS --
TAXPAYER GROUPS --
TAXPAYER ADVOCATE GROUPS AND
CERTAINLY PRACTITIONERS A SMALL
OF I KNOW WE DO HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE OF HE OF CITY
TFA HERE.
FOR A SPECIFIC --
ACTIVITIES AT THEIR UNDERGO I
THINK -- FOR
ANY AGENCY TO DO ITS JOB WELL
THE SERVE THE PUBLIC THAT HAS TO
BE A STRONG ARM WITH RESPECT TO
HOW WE REACH OUT TO OUR
CONSTITUENTS.
AND THE BUSINESS THAT WE DO AND
HOW WE SERVE [inaudible]
THANK YOU [inaudible] TOO MUCH.
PLEASE IN GENERAL LIKE MANY
OTHER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR THE CONTROLLER.
XENON MANAGEMENT COLOR ANY
CLOSING COMMENTS FOR THE
COMMITTEE OF THANK YOU MISTER
CHAIRMAN THANK YOU MADAM
CHAIRWOMAN OF AND THANK YOU FOR
STARTING THIS --
PROCESS IN THE OF THE
DELIBERATIONS ON THIS MATTER
EARLY.
IN THE LEGISLATIVE YEAR --
TO CENTER GIRLS YANNI'S POINT I
THINK A YEAR THE OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITY THAT ALL THIS
YEAR IS ONE THAT IS IMPORTANT --
CERTAINLY HAVING MORE OF IT
AIRED IN PUBLIC --
AND NOT --
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IS ALWAYS IN
ORDER SO --
AND I APPRECIATE THE THE SPIRIT
AND SAY WITH RESPECT TO YOUR
LAST COMMENT MISTER CHAIRMAN OF
IS EXACTLY THE POINT.
OF I THINK THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO WOULD BE IF WE HAD TO
SIMILARLY SITUATED TAXPAYERS WHO
ARE TREATED --
DIFFERENTLY.
AND I'VE AND I THINK WE COULD
INSURE CERTAINLY WITH OUR
COLLECTIVE OVERSIGHT THAT THAT
WILL HAPPEN IS WHEN WE HAVE ALL
THESE FUNCTIONS MOVED INTO.
OF AN ENTITY THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND
CERTAINLY I'LL HOLD THEIR FEET
TO THE FIRE.
ACTUALLY THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH
YOUR COMMENTS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TRANSITION TO
OUR NEXT FIFTEEN MINUTE PANEL
THE BORDER THE CAUSATION IS
GONNA BE PROVIDED WITH AN EQUAL
AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE CONTROLLER.
WE'RE WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION CHAIRWOMAN
LEAH CALLING HE'S HERE THIS CALL
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR WAY UP
TO THE DICE MADAM CHAIR THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE BE --
WE HEAR MISPRINT A FLAMING THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
THEY'LL HAVE A TOTAL TIME SO
WELCOME THE VICE CHAIR WHO IS
HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
VICE CHAIR VASQUEZ THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S
HEARING.
SAME FORMAT WE LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO GIVE --
MADAM CHAIR A TOTAL OF FIFTEEN
MINUTES ALONG WITH THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
I WILL THEN OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
MADAM CHAIR AGAIN WE KNOW HOW
BUSY BOTH YOU AND THE EXECUTIVE
OFFICER ARE WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT
YOU'RE HERE.
US FIFTEEN MINUTES REALLY THANK
YOU I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING
INTERESTING INTRODUCTION YOU
KNOW HOW BUSY WE ARE BUT YET THE
QUESTION HERE IS ABOUT THE
WORKLOAD AND I'M.
GRATEFUL TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT
GOOD MORNING GENTLEMEN GOOD
MORNING TO YOU --
JUST BY FORMALLY INTRODUCTION MY
NAME IS MELINA COLON.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING SOME TIME --
WANT TO RECOGNIZE.
MADAM CHAIR WHO'S NO LONGER HERE
BUT I WANT TO THANK HER FOR
ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMON.
CAN BE GRACIOUS TO THE
INVITATION TO SHARE MY VIEWS ON
THE FUTURE OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION --
AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING
MY VICE CHAIR OF REPRESENTING
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VENTURA
COUNTY IN LA COUNTY TONY VAZQUEZ --
I AM THE CHAIR AND WANT TO JUST
REALLY HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS
THE COMPOSITION OF AN ENTIRELY
NEW BOARD MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION
THAT WE HEARD ON TODAY WERE
ABOUT.
THE SINS THAT WERE COMMITTED ON
THE PREVIOUS CALL HAD AN IMPACT
ON OUR ABILITY OF OF OF OF OF
WHAT WE ARE DOING --
TODAY --
EACH OF US WAS ELECTED BY THE
PEOPLE IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN DURING
THE GENERAL ELECTION TO SERVE ON
THE ONLY ELECTED TAX BODY IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA EXCUSE ME IN
THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS AN HONOR TO REPRESENT TEN
MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY
TWENTY THREE COUNTIES THAT I
REPRESENT WITH THAT INTRODUCTION
LET ME GO DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE
AT HAND.
WHAT SHOULD THE FUTURE THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION BE?
SPECIFICALLY SHOULD THE
LEGISLATURE VOTE TO PUT A
MEASURE BEFORE THE PEOPLE AND
AND TWENTY TWENTY GENERAL
ELECTION TO ELIMINATE TE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION.
AND TO TRANSFER ITS
CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS TO ATTACKS
AGENCY -- IN
OTHER WORDS A BUREAUCRACY.
WHEN I RAN FOR THE BOARD IT WAS
CERTAINLY?
NO SECRET THAT THE CURRENT DEAL
WE WAS UNDER --
CHALLENGES AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE NUMBER WHERE
YOUR SUPPORT THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT AND THAT.
AND MANY OF YOU UP HERE ACTUALLY
SUPPORTED ME IN IN THAT ENDEAVOR
WE'VE HAD VERY HONEST AND CANDID
CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THIS
ENTIRE TIME NOT ONLY DURING THE
TIME OF THE ELECTION SEASON BUT
ALSO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
ABOUT THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
AND WHEN I RAN IT WAS WITH SOME
EXPERIENCE AS AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL WHO UNDERSTOOD THE
IMPORTANCE OF FAIR OF EQUITABLE --
REVENUE COLLECTION AND
DISTRIBUTE JUST BY WAY OF
BACKGROUND ON THE FORMER CHAIR
OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE
COMMITTEE WHICH IS AN ELEVEN
BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET IN THE
CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
I'M A TWO TERM TWICE ELECTED --
SUPERVISOR AND ALSO ELECTED BY
COLLEAGUES ARE SERVICEABLE AT
THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
AND IN THIS ROLE IN MY LAST
EIGHT YEARS I ALSO SERVED AS A
TRANSPORTATION ON THE
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY WHICH
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF PROPERTY --
THIS -- THE
PROP K. DOLLARS TO INSIST TO TO
DEVELOP PROJECTS --
TO ASSIST WITH INFRASTRUCTURE
AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS I HAVE
SHARED AND HAVE SERVED ON THE
LAND USE COMMITTEE AND
UNDERSTAND LAND USE ISSUES --
AS A GREATLY.
CHALLENGE SAN FRANCISCO.
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE I SUPPORTED THE GOALS
OF EIGHTY ONE UP TO THE TAXPAYER
TRANCE VERY SEE AND FAIRNESS ACT
OF TWENTY SEVENTEEN AND I
BELIEVE I DO BELIEVE I BELIEVE
IT THEN AND I BELIEVE IT NOW
THAT TAXPAYERS HAVE A RIGHT. TO
TAX ADMINISTRATION AND APPEAL
AND AND AN APPEAL PROCESS THAT
IS FAIR THAT IS TRANSPARENT THAT
IS CONSISTENT THAT IS EQUITABLE
THAT IS IMPARTIAL.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU
THAT I COME FROM A DISTRICT THAT
HAS HISTORICALLY PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN LOCKED OUT.
DISENFRANCHISED AND HAVE HAD NO
VOICE AND I AM VERY MUCH IN TUNE
IN CONNECTED TO THESE TYPES OF
COMMUNITIES WHERE COMMUNITIES
WHERE PEOPLE SPEAK ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE WHERE THEIR
IMMIGRATION STATUS IS
QUESTIONABLE.
AND HAVE BEEN ON THE SIDE OF
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND FIGHTING FOR
JUSTICE --
WHEN IT COMES TO REFORMS --
TREES THAT THEY ARE ALL UNITED
STATES NAVY --
REPRESENTING A DISTRICT WITH A
SUPERFUND SITE --
BRINGING ON AND TAKING ON POLICE
REFORM -- AS
WELL AS THE SUGARY BEVERAGE
INDUSTRIES I CERTAINLY HAVE A
PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO
FIGHTING AND FIGHTING FOR THE
RIGHTS AND ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE
[inaudible]
AND IN THE WAKE OF THE REFORMS
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE NEW
AGENCY WAS FORMED IN THAT
DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE
ADMINISTRATION.
AND A NEW OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS
WAS SET UP TO HEAR THESE APPEALS
I'M GRATEFUL TO LEARN SENATOR
MCGUIRE THAT YOU TOO WILL BE
CARRYING ON HEARINGS TO ADDRESS.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND AND
QUITE HONESTLY DO A SWOT
ANALYSIS WHAT'S WORKING WITH THE
STRAINS ONE OF THE WEAKNESSES
THE OPPORTUNITIES AND AND AND
THE THREATS HOPEFULLY PAYING
ATTENTION TO THE THREATS.
OF THE THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE
FACING.
IT IS APPROPRIATE NOW THAT OVER
TWENTY MONTHS THAT SINCE THE
PASSAGE OF A B. ONE OH TWO FOR
THE LEGISLATURE TO REVIEW THOSE
OPERATIONS OF THESE NEW AGENCIES
TO SEE IF THE OBJECTIVE OF THE
LEGISLATURE.
IF THE OBJECTIVE IS BEING MET.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO SEE IF
THE INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYERS
ARE BEING FOR PHIL NOW THESE ARE
THE SAME TAXPAYERS THAT YOU ARE
ALSO ELECTED TO REPRESENT AS
WELL AS I HERE --
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I JUST
WANT TO ADDRESS THE OBVIOUS
BECAUSE WE ARE THE MOST
DISCUSSION UPSET UP INTO THIS
ONE HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN ABOUT
THE PREVIOUS BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND NOW HERE WE ARE
A MEMBER OF THE NEW BOARD.
I'M TELLING JUST SHY EIGHT WEEKS
AND COMING INTO THIS POSITION
AND ALMOST IN A POSITION TO
DEFEND.
CHANGES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND
DEFEND WHAT WE WHERE WE ARE AND
WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH TODAY.
AND AND MAKE THE CASE FOR
KEEPING THE THE BOARD ELECTED
AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO JUST PAY
THAT TO OUR FOREFATHERS I MEAN
PEOPLE YOU SAID IN YOUR OPENING
REMARKS A HUNDRED AND FORTY
YEARS.
AND WHITE WHY DID THE MEN.
DECIDE TO MAKE THE STATE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION.
CONSTITUTION ELECTED BODY
BECAUSE THERE WAS CORRUPTION.
THERE WAS AN TRANSPARENCY.
THERE WAS AN AN EQUITABLE WAY
BETTER BUSINESS IS BEING DONE.
AND I AM OF THE MINDSET THAT WE
MUST UNDERSTAND A LOOK AT OUR
PAST IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND A
MOVE FORWARD TO MOVE INTO THE
FUTURE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SHORT
SIGHTED OF US.
TO NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL FOR A
HUNDRED AND FORTY YEAR HISTORY
NOW IN THAT HISTORY IS IN THE
HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES WHICH BY THE
WAY IS A HUNDRED OR TWO HUNDRED
TWENTY NINE YEARS OLD.
WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN THE
APPROACH.
AND WE ARE A DEMOCRACY AN
ELECTED BODY.
AND THAT IS SERIOUS PEOPLE HAVE
GIVEN THEIR LIVES TO MAINTAIN --
THIS DEMOCRACY.
AND MY CASE FOR KEEPING THAT
THIS BODY ELECTED A REALLY STEMS
FROM MAKING SURE THAT IT IS THAT
THIS BODY CONTINUES TO BE VITAL
IN ANY CAN FULFILL ITS
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
IN THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN
THE WORLD.
IN THE CONTROLLERS REMARK SHE
SAID THAT NO THIS IS THE ONLY
TAX WERE ELECTED ACROSS THE
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES I SAY
ABSOLUTELY CALIFORNIA DO THING
WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
AND UPHOLD OUR GOVERNOR THIS IS
THE CALIFORNIA DREAM.
RIGHT PEOPLE WANT TO BE HERE
THEY WANT.
WE ARE AT THE STANDARD WE DON'T
LOOK TO OTHERS TO HELP US
DETERMINE WHERE AND WHAT
DIRECTION WE SHOULD GO IN.
HIGHLIGHTING THE INITIATIVE
PROCESS THERE FEW STATES THAT DO
THAT PROCESS.
AND I BELIEVE OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT OUR DEMOCRACY IS IN.
RICH BECAUSE OF THAT PROCESS
BECAUSE OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE
INDUSTRY LEADERS THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND ITS BOARD
MEMBERS IF THEY ARE THE ONLY
ELECTED BODY SPECIFICALLY
CONSTITUTED. TO REPRESENT THE
INTERESTS OF TAXPAYERS PERIOD.
WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE
AND REPRESENTATIVE ELECTED
BODIES IN CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT
TO DATE I WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
HAVE FINALLY ELECTED THE FIRST
LATINO.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WE HAVE A
MEMBER ON THIS BODY THAT IS
EIGHTY PLUS YEARS OLD.
AND WE HAVE.
A COLLEGIAL FOUGHT FOR WORKING
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE
ONLY HAD TWO BOARD MEETINGS
WE'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION FOR
WHAT A LITTLE ALMOST ALMOST SHY
OF NINE WEEKS.
BUT NOW WE ARE TURNING THE
CORNER NOW WE ARE MOVING IN A
DIRECTION WHERE THAT WE ARE
STEPPING INTO THE NEW FRONTIER
ABOUT THAT THE FUTURE OF THE
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
WHERE I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT
THAT IT IS EVEN MORE
REPRESENTATIVE THAN WHAT IT WAS
BEFORE.
I'M PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
BOARD WHICH HAS A BROAD CROSS
SECTION OF CALIFORNIA'S OF
DIVERSITY WHICH IS FINALLY
VISIBLY PRESENT ON THE DS WHEN
OUR MEETINGS BEGAN.
ELECTED COUNTY ASSESSOR'S
DESERVE THE RESPECT.
IMPLIED IN THEIR OFFICE AND
DESERVE TO HAVE A COLLEGIAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ELECTED
BOARD NOT A SUBSERVIENT
RELATIONSHIP. TO STATE
BUREAUCRATS AND I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THESE
MOST ASSESSORS NOT ALL IN OUR
COUNTY IN OUR IN OUR STATE WE
HAVE FIFTY EIGHT OF THEM.
ARE ELECTED TO SERVE WHICH MEANS
THEY TO GO ON THE BALLOT AND
THEY GO AND THEY PUT FOR THE
WORK IN A PUT FOR A PLATFORM. TO
TO APPEAL TO VOTERS CALIFORNIA
TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO HAVE THE
PROPERTY VALUES OF OUR LARGEST
PUBLIC UTILITIES ESTABLISHED.
DONE AN OPEN FORUM BY ELECTED
AND ACCOUNTABLE OFFICIALS NOW
LET'S TAKE THAT AND UNPACK THAT
FOR A MOMENT.
TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO PROPERTY
VALUES OF OUR LARGEST PUBLIC
UTILITIES TO TO BE DONE IN OPEN
FORUM THINK ABOUT THE C. P. U.
C. NOT ONE PERSON IS ELECTED
OVER THER BUT WE'VE GOT
CORRUPTION CHARGES OVER THERE.
ABOUT THE FAIR ADMINISTRATION.
OR MAYBE THE UNDER HANDEDNESS OF
P. JEANNIE EXECUTIVES WE'RE
GOING TO BE STRAIGHT AND FORARD
IN OUR DISCUSSIONS TODAY.
PGA ANY ONE OF OUR LARGEST
RETAILERS ARE DEALING WITH
BANKRUPTCY.
HOW DOES THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON
THIS ENTIRE CLIMATE THAT WERE
AND WE AS A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT
BODY?
DEAL WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF
THESE PROPERTIES NOW IS NOT THE
TIME TO DISMANTLE OR TO BREAK
AWAY AND AND TRANSFER THINGS
INTO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
QUITE FRANKLY.
ON THE VERGE OF TRYING TO STAND
UP AND YOU WILL WE WILL DISCUSS
I'M SURE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES --
AT A LATER DATE.
BUT REALLY NOW YOU WANT TO
DISMANTLE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
IF IF THAT'S THE RIGHT TIME.
I VALUE THE WORK I DO AND QUITE
FRANKLY I WELCOME THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF MY OFFICE NOW
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT WORKLOAD
SENATOR MCGUIRE.
WE REVIEW --
REVIEWING PROPERTY TAX CASES FOR
PUBLICATION NOW --
THE CONTROLLER TALK TO A LOT OF
IT WAS JUST ABOUT SALES ND USE
TAX AND THE SINS OF THE PREVIOUS
BOARD.
SALES AND USE TAX TOOK.
DAYS AND QUITE FRANKLY ON THE
AGENDA WHEN I'M REVIEWING IT
THEY WERE ONE OR TWO CASES THAT
TOOK A LION'S SHARE OF THE
ENERGY OF THE STAFF WHEN THEY
WERE MAKING THEIR PRESENTATIONS
THEM AND AND BOARD MEMBERS WHEN
THEY WERE DELIBERATING.
AND I'M SORRY THIS IS NOT GONNA
COUNT AGAINST YOUR TIME I DON'T
MEAN TO INTERRUPT I JUST WANNA
DO QUICK TIME CHECK YOUR AT TEN
MINUTES S. WANNA MAKE SURE IF
YOU WANT YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
TO ALSO SPEAK WE WANT TO LEAVE
TIME FOR HER.
AGAIN THIS IS NOT ONLY
APPRECIATE THAT --
I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT BUT I
TOO WAS WATCHING THE TIME A
LITTLE BIT IN.
MAY PERHAPS THEY COULD HAVE THE
SAME COURTESY THAT WAS GIVEN TO
THE CONTROLLER SHE THE CONTROL
SPOKE FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN
MINUTES OKAY.
SO IN REVIEWING THE NEW PROPERTY
TAX HANDBOOKS THAT IS ISSUED --
OUR JOB IS ALSO REVIEWING THE
TAXPAYER RIGHTS' PUBLICATIONS
AND AND REPORTS TO ENSURE THAT
OUR OUTREACH IS APPROPRIATE AND
EFFECTIVE.
I WILL DEFER TO THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR BECAUSE IN HER REPORT
SHE ALSO HAS --
THE OUTLAYS THE RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE STATE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND I THANK YOU FOR
THE TIME CHECK AND I WILL GIVE
THE REST OF MY TIME TO MISS
BRENDA FLEMING IS A VERY
TALENTED.
PROFESSIONAL THAT HAS BEEN A
POINT FUTURE OF THE B. AWAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MANAGER AGAIN
NOT AT ALL TRYING TO INTERRUPT I
JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE AND
WE CAN ALSO COVERED THE SHOW
ITEMS IN QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ADAM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WE
WELCOME YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE I I APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES --
AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS
DISCUSSION AND KNOWLEDGE IN MY
CHAIR BY SHARON ON BEHALF OF OUR
ORGANIZATION WE APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY JUST TO PRESENT
BEFORE YOU --
AS MENTIONED MY NAME IS BRENDA
FLEMING AND THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR RECENTLY APPOINTED PER
MILLION ON THE JANUARY BOARD
MEETING.
I HAVE HOWEVER BEEN ON THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION SINCE --
TWENTY ELEVEN I'D LIKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME FIRST
HAND EXPERIENCES --
FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
TOWN'S.
TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY AND
FAIRNESS ACT --
AND PROVIDE SOME INPUT PERHAPS
IN SOME SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT.
MAYBE SOME OF THE UNINTENDED
OUTCOMES.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY I'M SURE
YOU KNOW.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE BUT
JUST FOR KIDS FOR BACKGROUND
ESTABLISHED IN EIGHTEEN SEVENTY
NINE BY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION IS IN
FACT CHARGED WITH THE
RESPONSIBILITY.
OF ENSURING COUNTY PROPERTY TAX
ASSESSMENTS PRACTICES WERE EQUAL
IN UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES EXPANDED THE
BILLS TO BE ALWAYS ROLE TO
ADMINISTER ADDITIONAL TAXES AND
FEES AND SO JULY FIRST.
TWENTY SEVENTEEN THAT MILESTONE
DATE RETURN TO BE WE TO ITS
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE CURRENT BE AWAY WHICH WE
AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO AS B.
WE TO IT AT ALL --
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERTY TAX
PROGRAMS INCLUDING ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGE TAX TAX ON INSURERS IN
PRIVATE REBEL CARS.
THE BOP HAS APPROXIMATELY TWO
HUNDRED EXPERTISE AND
ADMINISTRATION.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE --
TWO HUNDRED OUR STATE THE
STATE'S EXPERTS AND COUNTY SAYS
PROPERTIES STATUS AS PROPERTIES
EXCEPT FROM.
THE FIFTY EIGHT COUNTY
ASSESSOR'S THE STATUS AS PUBLIC
UTILITY COMPANIES THE RAILROAD
COMPANIES.
AND A BROAD ARRAY OF TAX
INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND TAX
PAYER ADVOCATES RELY ON THE
PEOPLE THE FUNCTIONS IN THE
SERVICES OF BE AWAY. ONE COULD
SAY.
B. WE AND I SAID FINALLY BE WE
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ARE AMONG
THE STATE'S MOST VALUABLE
RESOURCES. FOR REFERENCE MEMBERS
CALIFORNIA PROPERTY TAX LEVIES
FOR FISCAL YEAR SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN WERE APPROXIMATELY
SIXTY SIX POINT FIVE BILLION
WHICH IS A 7% INCREASE OVER THE
PREVIOUS YEAR.
IN THE SAME YEAR THE ASSESSED
VALUE FOR STATUS AS PROPERTIES
WAS A HUNDRED FIVE POINT FIVE
BILLION.
WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF TWO
POINT ONE BILLION FROM THE PRIOR
YEAR'S VALUES.
FURTHER FOR SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN
THE COUNTY SAYS PROPERTY VALUES
REACHED FIVE POINT SEVEN
TRILLION DOLLARS I LOVE THAT
NUMBER.
COUNTY SAYS PROPERTIES PRODUCED
AN ESTIMATED SIXTY POINT SIX TWO
BILLION DOLLARS AND LOCAL
PROPERTY TAX REVENUES FOR THE
SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN FISCAL YEAR.
AS ONE OF THE MANY EMPLOYEES WHO
EXPERIENCED THE TRANSITION FROM
B. O. E. ONE BATTLE TO BE WE TO
DOUBT -- THE
IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE.
AND OPERATIONALLY VERY DIFFICULT.
ALLOW ME TO CITE A FEW EXAMPLES
IF I MIGHT.
SO JUST IMAGINE THIS IN TERMS OF
RUNNING A VIDEO [inaudible]
ON JUNE.
THIRTIETH.
TWENTY SEVENTEEN PROPERTY TAX
DEPARTMENT.
WAS ONE OF SIX B. WEE
DEPARTMENT'S.
INTERNAL OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS.
SUPPORTED BY ABOUT TWENTY LEGAL
STAFF.
APPROXIMATELY TEN OF THOSE LEGAL
STAFF WERE --
ATTORNEYS WITH PROPERTY TAX
EXPERTISE.
ON JULY FIRST THE VERY NEXT DAY.
THE PROPERTY TAX DEPARTMENT HAD
TO PROPERTY TAX ATTORNEYS.
THIS IMPACTED DIRECTLY OBVIOUSLY
OUR ABILITY TO PROCESS LEGAL
OPINIONS SUMMER DECISIONS AND A
NUMBER OF OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS
MATERIALS.
IT IS TAKEN I AM MORE THAN A
YEAR JUST TO GET BACK.
TO SEVEN UNDERSTANDING AND
GETTING BACK TO THOSE SEVEN THEY
DON'T HAVE THE DEPTH OF THE
PROPERTY TAX EXPERIENCE THAT THE
PRIOR --
STAFF HAD.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE ON JUNE
THIRTIETH TWENTY SEVENTEEN THE
B. U. E. HAD ITS OWN
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES STAFF.
THEY WERE ABLE --
TO PERFORM THEIR OWN WORK
PERFORM THOSE FUNCTIONS DIRECTLY
AND TO SET THE PRIORITIES FOR
THAT WORK.
THE NEXT DAY JULY FIRST ALL
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES WERE
REMOVED AND BY STATUTE THERE ON
JULY FIRST WE NOW HAD TO GO TO
CITY TESFAYE TO GET THOSE
SERVICES.
THEREFORE LOST ITS CAPACITY YOUR
PERFORMANCE ON ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNCTIONS
OBVIOUSLY IMPACTING OUR
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES SO JUST
A NOTE ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE
NEED TO DO --
AND AGAIN IT'S NOT YOU KNOW NOT
IN ANY WAY TO TO SAY ANYTHING --
KILL TOWARDS THE CHAIR FAY BUT
IT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY HOW BEAT
A SMALL ONE WE HAVE TO GO TO
ANOTHER AGENCY TO GET THOSE
SERVICES.
ON JUNE THIRTIETH AS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE.
ENGINE THIRTY FIVE BILLY WAS A
FRIDAY REMEMBER SITTING MY DESK
DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE
ISSUES.
VOA SYSTEMS AND IMAGINE THIS
SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION THAT WAS
USED TYPICALLY USED BY YOU KNOW
YOUR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES SECURE
INTERNET WEBSITES ECCENTRIC --
PROVIDES OR CHARTS POLICY
INFORMATION DIRECTORIES YOU KNOW
BULLETINS JUST A AN INFORMATION
RESOURCE.
ON THE THIRTIETH THAT SYSTEM AND
THAT INFORMATION APPLY TO BE
AWAY THE NEXT DAY JULY FIRST.
LITERALLY WAS MIRACULOUS
OVERNIGHT CD TESFAYE STOOD UP
THE NEW SITES IN THE NEW
INFORMATION AND IT NOW REFLECTED
CITY CAFE SO IF WE WENT TO LOOK
FOR AN ORCHARD BASIC COURT
CARTER OR DIRECTORY.
ADS ON THE B. WE ORDER NO LONGER
EXISTED.
NOTE TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES
RELATED TO THIS CHANGE B. O. E.
HAS TO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE
IT'S ACTUALLY SUBMIT A REQUEST
TO THE CD TESFAYE.
JUST IN TERMS OF PROCESS JUST TO
GET SOME PRETTY BASIC FUNCTIONS
AND SERVICES.
GENTLEMEN OVER NIGHT.
THE BASIC FUNCTIONS AND
RESOURCES NEEDED BY ALL STATE
AGENCIES THIS IS I WORKED IN THE
LEGISLATURE FOR TWENTY FIVE
YEARS SO I CAN YOU KNOW GET THE
DATA THEY OPERATIONS.
HIS BASIC FUNCTIONS THAT YOU
NEED IS A GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATION --
POLICIES PHONE OFFICE SPACE
INFORMATION --
EXCEPT FOR WERE GREATLY IMPACTED
AND THE TIME FRAME AND THE COST
THAT IT'S TAKING TO TRANSFORM
ALL OF THAT MATERIAL FROM BE A
WE WENT OUT ALL TO BE WE TO DIJO
FULMINATE THE CITY TFA I'M
INFORMATION RELATIVE TO SALES
AND USE TAX ECCENTRICS AFTER.
ALL OF THAT IS TAKING TIME AND
ENERGY AND WE DON'T WHO DID THAT
FORCE OBVIOUSLY WENT TO SEE
TESFAYE.
AN EXPECTED RETRIEVE ABOUT ONE
MINUTE.
ON A PERSONAL THANK YOU SIR ON A
PERSONAL NOTE THESE ISSUES
RELATED TO PROCESS THE SYSTEMS
AND INFORMATION THAT RESTRAIN
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AND
OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS WERE NOT.
THE ONLY UNEXPECTED OUTCOME.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE
HAS BEEN THE IMPACT ON OUR
PEOPLE --
AND THIS DRIVES HOME FOR US
THESE ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
OR AGAIN ARE AMONG THE STATE'S
MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES.
THE PERCEPTION HONESTLY AFTER
THE REFORMS WAS THAT QUOTE VIEW
WE WAS BLOWN UP.
AND THAT --
YOUR FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN.
IT'S NOT A HELPFUL SLOGAN WHEN
WE TRY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN
STAFF.
SO AS WE TRIED TO GET PROPERTY
TAX EXPERTS NINETIES THE TEAM WE
CAN'T JUST WE CAN'TDRIVE BY
TARGET AND PICK UP THAT
EXPERTISE TO TAKES DECADES TO
GET THAT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
AND SO WERE TRYING TO RECRUIT
PEOPLE SAY IS TO DEVELOP AND
MAINTAIN THAT TALENT TO SERVE
THIS -- THIS
INDUSTRY --
IT'S GETTING TO BE A
PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT.
MY FINAL COMMENT I THINK I WOULD
SAY WE CANNOT FAIL. TO PROTECT
THE PEOPLE.
THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE THAT
EXISTS WITHIN B. O. E..
ON BEHALF OF THE EMPLOYEES --
I EMPLOYEE AND I ASK YOU TO JOIN
US IN THIS COMMITMENT TO TO
PROTECT THOSE ASSETS.
AGAIN THE LEGISLATION WAS NOT
INTENDED TO REDUCE THESE OUT
COMMON WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
BY NO MEANS THATTHE LEGISLATIVE
THEY WERE CONTAINED IN THE
ORIGINAL LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVE.
IN FACT THE LEGISLATION
CONTAINED OBJECTIVES TO HELP AND
TO SUPPORT THE STAFF --
AND TO SUPPORT OUR CIVIL SERVICE
EMPLOYEES.
THAT SAID --
MANY ON INTO RECORD AS A RESULT
OF THIS AND WE JUST NEED THE
TIME TO ADDRESS THEM AND REBUILD
AND REESTABLISH AND MODERNIZE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MA'AM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHAT WE LIKE
TO BE ABLE TO DO IS OPEN IT UP
FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
THE COMMITTEES --
IN WE DO HAVE A JOINT
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMITTEE
HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY I IN I
KNOW WILL BE --
AND THAT'S WHERE MADAM CHAIR HAD
RUN OFF TO TAKE A COUPLE VOTES
IN HAD BACKS WE DO APOLOGIZE AND
SHE CENTER APOLOGIES AS WELL.
LIKE ME TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
FROM THE COMMITTEE THIS TIME I
KNOW I HAVE A FEW BUT I WANT TO
BE AT OFFER [inaudible]
OKAY -- SO
FEEL FREE BOTH VIA --
ONE OF YOU I MEAN IT'S GONNA GO
THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS
AND YOU LET ME KNOW HOW AND WHO
YOU'D LIKE TO BE ABLE --
TO ANSWER [inaudible]
SO.
THE CHAIRWOMAN HAS ACCURATELY
STATED THAT --
THE CHALLENGES OF THE PAST.
I'M PARAPHRASING HERE BY THE WAY
MADAM CHAIR.
THE CHALLENGES OF THE PAST ON
THE BOARD.
WHO IS CURRENTLY SEED
[inaudible]
AND THE REASON WHY SOME OF THE
REASONS WHY --
THE BOARD EQUALIZATION WAS
CREATED.
BECAUSE OF CORRUPTION THAT WE
SAW BETWEEN COUNTIES
PARTICULARLY THOSE COUNTIES THAT
WERE GOLD MINING COUNTIES VERSUS
COUNTIES THAT WERE.
AGRICULTURAL COUNTIES --
THAT'S WHY THE BE A WE WAS
ADVANCE.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT. ONE OF
THE MAJOR REASONS WHY A B. ONE
OF TWO SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE THE
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN CANDIDLY.
CORRUPTION --
OVER THE PAST TWENTY MONTHS
[inaudible]
I WILL.
AGREE WITH THE CHAIR WOMAN --
IT'S A NEW BOARD.
NO ONE WAS THERE.
AT THE TIME AND WANTING TO BE
ABLE TO SHIFT IN FOCUS ON THIS
NEW DAY.
SO I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO IT IF
YOU ALL DON'T MIND TALK TO US
HOW THAT CULTURE HAS CHANGED.
SINCE THE LEGISLATURES ENACTED
AB ONE TWO OVER THE LAST TWENTY
MONTHS.
RIGHT I'M GOING TO DO --
TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO
TALK ABOUT FROM OF
ADMINISTRATIVE PER --
REALITY A WELL WHERE WE ARE THE
STAFF THANK YOU --
THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY I
THINK PRIMARILY --
THE PRIOR BOARD BE WE WENT OUT
ON IN ITS DUTIES HAD
INVESTIGATORY RESPONSIBILITIES --
HAD H. R. RESPONSIBILITIES I WAS
ABLE TO HIRE AND FIRE YOU KNOW
EXECUTIVE STAFF --
CA SIX AFTER.
HAD I'M A THIRTY TWO TO
EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION
OUTREACH WITH FUNDING TO DO THAT --
AND I THINK THAT CLIMATE NIGHT
EAGLES --
WHAT I REFER TO AS MAYBE A
CLIMATE OF SOME TEMPTATIONS --
AND SOME DOORS THAT YOU COULD
PROBABLY OPEN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF OF A NUMBER OF THOSE THOSE --
AVENUES --
AND THAT SAID I THINK BECAUSE
THOSE EXISTED --
I THINK THE MEMBERS AT THE TIME
AND I'M NOT HERE REALLY TO TO
INDICT ANYONE OR SPEAK TO WHAT
THEIR MOTIVES ARE IT JUST WAS A
CLIMATE OF OF OF OF THEIR DUTIES --
AND SOME OF THOSE FUNCTIONS THAT --
I THINK THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE
SERVING THE TAXPAYERS AND DOING
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
TAXPAYERS BUT I THINK IT DID
CREATE --
SOME SCENARIOS AND I THINK WE'VE
HEARD THIS IN PREVIOUS HEARINGS
I'VE TESTIFIED AT WHERE YOU KNOW
THEIR NUMBER OF EXECUTIVES IN CA
SAID FELT LIKE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE
TO COUNT THE VOTES ECCENTRICITY
OF HER ALL THAT AND I HEAR.
TO REWIND TO THAT TO THAT STORYABOUT TIME.
BUT THAT WAS THE CLIMATE AT THE
TIME AND SO I CHALLENGING ISSUES
THAT THEY SAW SOME IMPROPRIETIES
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN --
A LEVEL OF DISCOMFORT TO RESPOND
TO THAT.
BUT THE CURRENT ORGANIZATION THE
THAT THAT TAXPAYERS TRANSPARENCY
ACT HAS RESOLVED MUSCLES ISSUES
FIRST AND FOREMOST SO THEY CAN
THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE
INVESTIGATORY ROLES
RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEY DO HAVE THE ADJUDICATORY
RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT IS --
GIVING THEM THAT THAT THE
AUTHORITY TO HEAR --
OUR APPEALS CASES --
FOR STATUS AS SEES EXCEPT --
FOR AND THE LEGISLATION ALSO IF
YOU WANT TO LEGISLATION ALSO
ADDRESSED --
THE BOARD'S ROLE.
TO AN AUTHORITY TO WORK WITH
THEIR EMPLOYEES --
SPECIFICALLY THE BOARD MEMBER
STAFF -- AND
WHILE I'M ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES
FOR FOUR OF THE FIVE THEN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO RUN THE DAY
TO DAY OPERATIONS AND SOUL THAT
LEGISLATION SPEAKS TO THE BOARDS --
LIMITATION AND BEING ABLE TO GO
INSIDE THE AGENCY I THINK IT'S
REALLY THAT'S THAT'S THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT THING --
AND I THINK AS A RESULT THE
STAFFER FEELING MORE COMFORTABLE
THAT THEY CAN JUST YOU KNOW --
THEY CAN JUST OPERATE THE AGENCY
AND USE THEIR EXPERTISE.
THANK YOU YEAH AND I APPRECIATE
THE CANDOR IS WELL.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
REORGANIZATION SHIFT
RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE SAME QUESTION THAT WE ASKED
THE CONTROLLER.
IS AN INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED.
BE A WE STILL NECESSARY IN
CALIFORNIA I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU
HAD SAID MADAM CHAIR IF YOU CAN
JUST.
DO A BIT OF A DEEPER DIVE SAME
QUESTION AS WE AS A CONTROLLER --
MAJORITY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE
NOW ANOTHER AGENCY --
AND IT'S NOW FOCUS ON SOME
PRIMARY --
BUSINESS SECTORS AS WELL AS
WORKING WITH ASSESSORS IDEALLY
BASIS SO TELL US WINE INTENTLY
ELECTED BOARD IS STILL NECESSARY
I THINK IT YES I I RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE I THINK IT
INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED.
ANYTHING IS STILL RELEVANT IN A
DEMOCRACY I THINK THAT IN ORDER
TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WE DON'T NEED
LESS DEMOCRACY YOU NEED MORE
DEMOCRACY.
AND I'M CONCERNED WHEN THINGS
ARE PLACED IN A BUREAUCRATIC
STRUCTURE THAT SUNSHINE WON'T
GET IN TRANSPARENCY WILL BE
SQUELCHED AND ASSESS ABILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY WILL NOT BE
ADEQUATELY --
ADMINISTERED.
AM I THINK ABOUT THIS I THINK
ABOUT JUST THE CURRENT STATE OF
WHERE WE ARE PARTICULARLY
SENATOR IN YOUR DISTRICT MET THE
THE FIRES THAT HAVE RAVAGED.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND PARTS OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THINKING
ABOUT THE FLOODS THAT THAT WE
ARE NOW ALL GRAPPLING WITH QUITE
HONESTLY THIS ALL SQUARELY HAS
TO DO WITH PROPERTY TAXES NOW.
THE DISCUSSIONS EARLIER AGAIN
WORK FOCUSED AND CENTERED ON
SALES AND USE TAX AND I THINK
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MISNOMER
TO SAY --
THAT THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.
YES I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE ROLE
HAS BEEN REDUCED BUT THERE IS
STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
WORK QUITE FRANKLY TECHNICAL
WORK.
AS YOU HEARD IN THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S REMARKS I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU REALIZE THIS BUT FIVE
POINT SEVEN TRILLION DOLLARS.
OF PROPERTY IS ASSESSED IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT'S A LOT
OF PROPERTY THAT NEEDS
ASSESSMENTTHAT'S A LOT OF
WORKING.
HAND IN HAND WITH PROPERTY
ASSESSORS.
NOW -- I
BELIEVE THAT --
WITH THE REALITY OF THE FLOODS
AND THE FIRES THAT ASSESSORS
HAVE FIND THEMSELVES --
I WOULD IMAGINE UNDER RESOURCE
UNDERSTAFFED I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
KNOW THIS BUT THE APPRAISAL
BUSINESS IS ALMOST A DYING
BUSINESS WE NEED.
TO THINK CREATIVELY DEVELOP
RELATIONSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONS
OF EDUCATION AND APPEAL TO A NEW
GENERATION SO THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO GOING TO CONTINUE TO FILL THE
PIPELINE OF TALENT.
AND OUR JOB AS THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION IS TO WORK DIRECTLY
WITH THE SS IS ENSURING THAT
THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY THAT THEY HAVE THE
RULES THE REGULATIONS --
SURVEYS THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE
AS A BODY PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND
GUIDANCE AND TOOLS TO TO ALLOW
THEM TO HAVE A SYSTEM AND DOING
IN DOING THEIR BUSINESS.
THE ASSESSMENT OF FIVE POINT
SEVEN TRILLION DOLLARS BRINGS IN
SIXTY THREE BILLION DOLLARS INTO
THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT WE USED TO PAY OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS TO PAY OUR EDUCATORS
AND SO THERE IS A STRONG AND I
THINK OF CONVINCING CORRELATION
THAT THERE IS CERTAINLY IS A
REASON TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW AN
ELECTED BODY.
NOW LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER
EXAMPLE NOW AS I MENTIONED I
JUST GOT INTO OFFICE --
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF TAX
SEASON AT THIS TIME.
AND PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS SMALL
BUSINESSES STILL DON'T
UNDERSTAND AND THEY'RE STILL
CALLING MY OFFICE AND I WAS A
BIT THE OFFICES OF MY COLLEAGUES.
ASKING QUESTIONS NOW WHAT DOES
HAPPEN POST AB ONE OH TWO IS
THAT WE ARE NO LONGER A ONE STOP
SHOP WE NEED TO SIT DIRECT
PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
AND QUITE FRANKLY I'M IN A
POSITION. TO HAVING TO DIRECT
PEOPLE TO AN EIGHT HUNDRED
NUMBER --
AND TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR
TAXES THE BUSINESS TAX QUESTIONS --
IN ALAMEDA COUNTY AND WORKING
WITH THE NONPROFIT.
A CHURCH ORGANIZATION HAD
QUESTIONS WHEN WORKING WITH LONG
LONG WAS OUR SENSOR IN ALAMEDA
COUNTY -- IN
IN YOUR COUNTY THERE'S A
BUSINESS THAT --
IT BURNED AND GLENN IT'S SELLING
THEIR PROPERTY SUCH AS REAL TIME
EXAMPLES OF HOW WE HAVE A DAY TO
DAY FUNCTION PEOPLE STILL COME
TO THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
THEY'RE STILL CALLING US.
AND NO MATTER WHERE I GO.
PEOPLE --
YOU KNOW HAVE HAVE QUIT STILL
HAVE TAX COLLECTION AND TAX
QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKING I WAS
AT A A CRAB FEED LAST FRIDAY AND
PEOPLE WERE COMING UP TO ME
ASKING ME.
ABOUT IT ASKING FOR HELP AND
ASSISTANCE SO AS WE CONTINUE TO
MOVE AND FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING
TO DO WHAT THE REALITY IS IS
THAT THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH A
SPACE THAT IS OCCUPIED.
AND AND RELEVANT TO EVERYDAY
PEOPLE AND AS YOU WAS ELECTED
OFFICIALS BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT
THE FUTURE CHECK IN WITH YOUR
CONSTITUENTS ASK YOUR SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS ASK YOUR
PROPERTY OWNERS WHAT DO THEY
THINK THIS IS THE SOMETHING THAT
TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WILL
HAVE.
A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS THE
ENTIRE STATE AND THAT IT
DESERVES ATTENTION I WILL NOTE
THAT ONE ONE VOICE THAT IS
MISSING IN THIS HEARING IS LABOR
WHERE WHERE WOULD IT WHAT IS
THEIR PERSPECTIVE I HAVE.
HAVE REACHED OUT AND WOULD LOVE
TO GET HERE --
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET
INTO -- WHAT
WORKERS ARE SAYING TO THEM ABOUT
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT --
TO TALK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO
ADD SOME MORE CONTEXT AND SOME
FRANKLY.
QUANTITATIVE POINTS IS THAT
THERE ARE FORTY SIX VACANCIES IN
THE PO WE AGENCY FORTY SIX
TWENTY OF WHICH THAT ARE IN THE
PIPELINE AND A HANDFUL OF THAT
TWENTY HAVE BEEN IN THE PIPELINE.
FOR SIX MONTHS. SIX MONTHS SO
YOU WANT ME TO DO MY JOB I
PERFORM I'M PERFECTLY WILLING
AND READY TO DO IT --
I'M COMMITTED TO SERVE TWENTY
FOUR SEVEN I BELIEVE I LEAD A
LIFE OF SERVICE THAT'S MY
CALLING --
BUT I NEED AN AGENCY THAT HAS
THE RESOURCES TO DO WHAT THEY
CAN DO SO THAT I CAN SO THAT WE
CAN WORK TOGETHER --
IN ASSISTING THE SUPPORT THAT IS
NEEDED TO NOT ONLY TAXPAYERS
WITH TO THE ASSESSORS.
YES.
AND YOU'RE JUST GOING BACK AND
FORTH A LITTLE BIT ON THAT I I
THINK THAT --
TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF OF
DEMOCRACY IN HAVING THE
INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED BOARD.
THAT WOULD IMPLY THAT DAY IN
OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE NOW.
I DO WHEN THE JOB THAT BE --
WE WANT STATE THAT DOES THAT
MEAN THAT.
TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING THAT FAIR
SHAKE.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION I
CAN'T SAY WITH ANY DEFINITIVE
BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BEEN TWENTY
MONTHS RIGHT IT'S I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT QUESTION I WILL
DEFINITELY BE ATTENDING THE THE
HEARING WITH CITY TFA AND TA.
I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE
RECEIVED FROM REPORTS I THINK
THEY'RE IMPORTANT --
NUMBERS THAT WE SHOULD CALL AND
SINCE SINCE --
SEPTEMBER OF TWO THOUSAND
EIGHTEEN OF THIS IS I'M QUOTING
THE SACRAMENTO BEE TWO HUNDRED
AND FIFTEEN CASES --
HAVE BEEN DECIDED BY AU TA ALL
BUT TO HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF THE
STATE ALL BUT TWO SO THAT MEANS
THAT THE THREE HUNDRED THERE'S A
THREE HUNDRED SALES.
TAX CASE BACKLOG NO I DON'T NO
LONGER HAD TE PURVIEW OF SALES
TAX SO I DON'T WANT.
TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN BUT I'VE
BEEN USING THIS AS JUST SOME
COLOR -- TO
TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR YOUR
QUESTIONING I I LEAVE THAT IS
VERY IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL AND
THE PROCESS THAT USUALLY THE
LEGISLATURE TAKES.
OMINOUS TAKING PRIDE IN IS IS
THAT THEY HAVE SWEEPING CHANGES
AND THEN THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT
THERE'S AN AUDIT THERE'S A
DISCUSSION THERE IS.
A HEARING --
AT WHERE THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT
IS TAKEN I THINK THAT THIS IS
JUST THE BEGINNING AS WE
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
QUITE HONESTLY I THINK IT'S A
LITTLE BIT PREMATURE I
UNDERSTAND IT THERE'S AN URGENCY
AS WE GO INTO THE THE BUDGET
DISCUSSION --
WIN AND WE ANTICIPATE THE
GOVERNOR'S MATT REV REVISED --
I AM VERY KEENLY AWARE OF HOW
THE BUDGET PROCESS WORKS IS
BEING FORMER CHAIR OF THE BUDGET
ON THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN
FRANCISCO.
BUT WE ARE AN ENTITY THAT IS
JANUARY VALUE THAT WE ARE
BRINGING --
TO TO THE TO THIS TO THE GREAT
THEY ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
WE STILL ARE WORKING IN
CONJUNCTION WITH --
TA AND CD TFA --
IN THE ADMIN THEY THEY
ADMINISTER --
AND COLLECTED WE HEAR THE
APPEALS SO THERE ISN'T A RELAY
THERE IS OF THE RELATIONSHIP IS
NOT DIVORCED AND TOTALLY SILO IN
SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER WE
STILL HAVE --
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO
WORK TOGETHER.
THANK YOU AND YOUR I. I'M GONNA
HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS AND
ASKED ONE LAST ONE AND THEN TURN
IT BACK OVER TO THE COMMITTEE
THEN I'LL JUMP BACK IF THAT
WORKS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OF
CONTROLLER II.
IN REGARDS TO MEMBER
COMPENSATION [inaudible]
SO BOB.
OPTIONALLY 9095% OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN SHIFTED.
OVER TO TO OTHER AGENCIES THAT
WERE ONCE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION --
IS IT AN APPROPRIATE.
SALARY NOW THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE
BEEN SHIFTED.
SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT OTHER
OPTIONS LIKE COMPENSATION ON A
PER MEETING BASIS AGAIN THERE'S
AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION THAT'S
GOING TO SET THIS.
BUT NO THAT THAT'S A DISCUSSION
AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE HAVING
THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR WANTED
YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ADDRESS IT HEAD ON THANK YOU FOR
THAT AND I PROBABLY AM GOING TO
ALSO ANSWER THE SAME WAY I MEAN
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE.
THE CITIZENS COMPOSITION
COMMISSION THAT THAT THAT ARE
CHARGED TO DEAL WITH THAT THAT'S
NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE I MEAN IT
MANY WAYS YOU'RE ASKING ME TO BE
THE JUDGE AND THE JURY.
I I'M NOT GOING TO TO DO THAT
BUT ONE THING THAT DOES KIND OF
CONCERN ME A LITTLE BIT IS IN
JUST KIND OF LIKE THE PHRASING
OF IT 9095% OF YOUR DUTIES OF IT
HAVE I'VE CHANGED I DON'T
NECESSARILY KNOW.
IF THAT'S AN ACCURATE --
KWAN OF QUANTIFYING FOR STATES
WHAT EXACTLY OUR OUR OUR ROLE IS
THE LARGE THE WHAT WAS SEXY AND
GLAMOROUS QUITE FRANKLY.
THERE'S NOTHING SEXIER ABOUT
PROPERTY TAXES I'M TRYING TO
MAKE IT EXCITING AGAIN BUT WHAT.
WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WAS WHAT WAS
WHAT WAS WELL MAYBE THE
ASSESSORS MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING
SOMETHING TO DIFFER ON ON ON
THAT IN IN THE IN THE ATTACKS
HERE ADVOCATES BUT?
THE REALITY IS IS THAT SALES AND
USE TAX WAS EASY TO
UNDERPRIVILEGED UNDERSTAND
THEREFORE THEY GRASP ON IT THE
MEDIA GRAPHS ON IT AND THEY SAY
THAT -- THIS
IS WHAT'S GOING WRONG IN THIS IS
ODD -- ONE
OF THE AUDIENCE OF THE SENATOR
IT ONE OF THE ITEMS SAID THAT
THEY WERE SOMETHING LIKE.
SEVERAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT
WERE MISSING OR UNACCOUNTED FOR
AND THAT IS TRUE AND THAT WAS IN
SALES AND USE TAX I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT
OUR CORE FUNCTION IN OUR CORE
FUNCTION IN OUR BUSINESS.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN A DISPUTE
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COUNT EVERY
SINGLE DOLLAR WHEN IT COMES TO
PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT AND
SINCE THAT IS THE PURVIEW
CONSTITUTIONALLY GIVEN TO THE
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION I
WANT TO STAND UP AND DEFEND THAT.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT REMAINS
INTACT THE BE A WEEK IS NOT
SOLELY ITS REPUTATION WHEN IT
COMES TO THE MAIN CORE
CONSTITUTIONAL FUNCTION.
IN IN WHERE THE 9295% CAME FROM
IS THAT --
THE GOVERNOR THE LEGISLATURE --
TRANSITIONED RESPONSIBILITIES
MINUS WHAT IS MANDATED IN THE
CONSTITUTION.
IN THE AGENCY WENT FROM
APPROXIMATELY FORTY TWO HUNDRED
TO JUST UNDER TWO HUNDRED
EMPLOYEES --
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT THE
PERCENTAGE CAME FROM AND I THINK
EVENTUALLY.
IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME TYPE
OF DISCUSSION --
ABOUT ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES AND
COMPENSATION UNDERSTAND I BOTH
THE CONTROL YOURSELF DON'T HAVE
THAT TODAY BUT LOOK IN ANY OTHER
POSITION JUST BEING CNDID ABOUT
IT ANY OTHER POSITION.
WHEN THE VAST MAJORITY
RESPONSIBILITIES ARE SHIFTED
THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME TYPE
OF SHIFT THE COMPENSATION?
THAT WOULD FOLLOW WAS IT WHAT'S
INTERESTING IS IS THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THE SHIFTING OF THE
OF OF THE WORKLOAD BUT WE
HAVEN'T GIVEN ANY VOICE OR EVEN
CONSIDERATION.
TO THAT IDEA THAT CENTER GAL
JOHNNY PROPOSED ABOUT THAT MOVE
WHAT THAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO
LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU
SEEMS TO BE A CERTAIN --
ALMOST BIAS THAT EXISTS OF
BECAUSE THE WORKLOAD ARE
EQUATING.
WORK LOAD WITH RELEVANCE --
AND THE I I WOULD SUBMIT THAT
THE LEVEL OF WORK WHEN IT COMES
TO THE STATE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION SCORE FUNCTION.
OF OF OF OF OF A PROPERTY TAX --
WHAT IS WHAT ELSE IS THERE'S
JUST A THERE'S TOBACCO TAX I'M
NOT TOBACCO TAX THERE'S ALCOHOL
TAX?
AS WELL --
AND SOME INSURERS AND TAX ON
INSURERS I MEAN THERE ARE THREE
THINGS I MEAN NO NO ONE TALKS
ABOUT THAT IT'S NOT AS GLAMOROUS
BUT AT THAT STILL OF A FUNCTION.
AND AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY
WELL YOU'RE YOU NO LONGER
DESERVE YOUR SALARY BECAUSE YOU
WERE HAD FORTY HEARINGS AND NOW
YOU DON'T HAVE FORTY HEARINGS I
MEAN THEY DO YOU IT'S REALLY
ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK NOT
NECESSARILY THE QUANTITY.
OF WORK THE QUALITY OF WORK IS
STILL BEING DONE THE ADVOCACY
AND THE REPRESENTATION IS STILL
BEING DONE THE APPEALS ARE STILL
BEING HEARD AND AND I ALSO JUST
WANT TO NOTE AND THAT --
T. EIGHT WEBSITE SHOWS THAT TWO
HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN OF OPINION
OPINIONS HAVE HAVE BEEN HAVE
BEEN WRITTEN IN THAT THERE IS A
BACK LEVEL WITH AARON MAYBE.
MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US
LET US HELP OUT GIVE US A LITTLE
SOMETHING BACK WE CAN HELP WITH
THE BACK LOVE TO HELP THE END OF
THE ORGANIZATION.
STAND UP THE ORGANIZATION BY
JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CAUTIOUS
AND THOUGHTFUL THAT THE NUMBER
OF HOURS THAT YOU POUR INTO
SOMETHING DOES NOT --
VALIDATE YOUR EXISTENCE.
ALL YOUR RELEVANCY NO THANK YOU
MADAM CHAIR --
ALL HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO OPEN IT UP TO OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE --
FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I
HAVE A JUST A FEW MORE --
BUT I WOULD LIKE.
TO PASS MYSELF.
AND YOUR THANK YOU VERY MUCH
TERROR OF I'M SORRY I'M MISTER --
BEGINNING OF YOUR YOUR
PRESENTATION BUT IF YOU COULD
SUM UP --
WHAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO KNOW.
WHEN EVALUATING THE CURRENT
STATE OF THE BOP?
I HIGHLIGHT WHAT ARE THOSE.
KEY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW
AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND
EVALUATING THE BOP.
WELL I THINK --
SENATOR WELCOME BACK AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS COUPLE THINGS THAT I
WILL HIGHLIGHT ON FIRST --
DEMONSTRATING A COLLEGIAL WORK
ENVIRONMENT.
THAT THE CULTURE [inaudible]
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION THE
BOARD HAS CHANED.
AND YOU COMING FROM A BACKGROUND
DEEP WITH LABOR YOU KNOW HOW
CULTURAL CHANGES ARE CHALLENGING.
TO TO TO TO TO CORRECT WE CHANGE
THAT --
WE'VE DISTANT DID THAT
DEMONSTRATE A COLLEGIAL WORKING
ENVIRONMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT TAXPAYERS NEED
AND DESERVE REPRESENTATION I
BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO
MAINTAIN A DEMOCRACY YOU NEED
MORE DEMOCRACY NOT LESS.
IF THERE ARE CHALLENGES WE
ADDRESS THEM STRAIGHT ON I
BELIEVE THAT --
THAT THERE IS A A A A THE IS.
THAT THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
IS NO LONGER RELEVANT AND I
THROW BACK.
THAT'S FIVE POINT SEVEN TRILLION
DOLLARS OF PROPERTY IS ASSESSED
AND AGAIN THAT'S OUR CORE
FUNCTION THAT CREEK THAT BEEN
DISSEMINATED THAT'D BEN IS
COLLECTED AND BRINGS IN SIXTY
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
EXCUSE ME SIXTY FOUR BILLION
DOLLARS INTO THE GENERAL FUND I
ATE ICE HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT --
IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE WE
HAVE RAVAGED CALIFORNIAN FLOODS
THAT ARE RAVAGING CALIFORNIA
THAT THE ASSESSORS NEEDS
CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION AND THAT HIS
STREAK SQUARELY HAS TO DO WITH
OUR ROLE.
ON A PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT I
GAVE EXAMPLES OF NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE
WORKING ON BEHALF AND ON THE
GROUND WITH WE ARE ASSESSABLE
THEY'RE COMING TO US IN.
WALGREENS QUITE FRANKLY IN
DIFFERENT PARTS MUCH LIKE HOW
YOU ARE A SENSIBLE TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AND I BELIEVE THAT --
IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY WE
SHOULD BE SUPPORTING AND UPS AND
STANDING UP ORGANIZATIONS WHERE
PEOPLE ARE ELECTED TO SERVE I
GAVE EXAMPLES OF THE CPUC IS
DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC
UTILITIES A PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMPANY.
THAT IS IN THE MIDST OF
BANKRUPTCY --
AND THEY HAVE HAD DID CORRUPTION --
ALLEGATIONS INC RECONSTITUTED
THAT THAT BOARD A I BELIEVE THAT
ELECTED OFFICIALS COME TO THIS
BODY A COME TO THEIR SERVICE
WITH A HIGHER STANDARD AND HAVE
INTEGRITY I BELIEVE THAT WHEN
ELECTIVES ARE ACTING POORLY THAT
THERE IS A WAY TO ADDRESS.
THEIR GRIEVANCES AND ADDRESS
THEIR THEIR THEIR BEHAVIOR HI
RIGHT I'VE SAID THAT THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME THAT IN A HUNDRED AND
FORTY YEAR HISTORY THAT YOU
REALLY HAVE DIVERSITY AT FORT
HERE YOU'VE GOT THE FIRST
ELECTED BLACK WOMAN THE FIRST
ELECTED LATINO MEAN.
YOU'VE GOT A SENIOR
REPRESENTATIVE --
REPRESENTING THE THIS IS REALLY
A NEW DAY AND I WAS CONCERNED
THAT THE SINS OF THE PREVIOUS
CLASS WERE CLOUDING IS A CLOUD
OVER OR THE JUDGMENT OF OF OF
THIS BODY.
WHETHER THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC.
EDITORIAL BOARDS OR SOME OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES --
I WANT TO ALLOW BRENDA FLEMING
TO SHARE WITH YOU --
THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION NOW THAT
AB ONE OH TWO IS.
THE LAW OF THE LAND AND IF YOU
COULD HIGHLIGHT NOT JUST OUR OUR
ON PROPERTY TAX ELEMENT BUT ALSO
THE OTHER THE OTHER --
TWO FUNCTIONS THAT WOULD CORE
FUNCTIONS THAT WE PERFORM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY SO AS AS I STATED
BEFORE -- A
THE THE CORE PORTION OF
RESPONSIBILITY IS ON THE
PROPERTY TAX PROGRAMS OF COURSE
STATE ASSESSING COUNTY SUCH
PROGRAMS BUT WE DO HAVE --
THE RENTAL CARS WE TALKED ABOUT
ALSO AND THE TAX ON INSURERS AN
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE --
SO THOSE PROGRAMS ARE SIMPLY
SMALLER BUT THEY STILL HAVE WE
STILL HAVE --
A WORKLOAD RELATED TO THAT ON
JUST FOR THE RECORD WE DO HAVE A
AGAIN IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNCTIONS OF THOSE TAX PROGRAMS
THEN AGAIN ANOTHER PART OF THE
SERVICE THAT WE RELY ON CD TFA
TO PERFORM SOME OF THOSE CORE
FUNCTIONS.
ON BUT WE STILL HAVE A ROLE --
THEY'RE STILL APPEALS ACTIVITIES
THEY'RE STILL SEEING A REPORT
SOME MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE TO
REVIEW SO IT IS A PART OF THE
BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY --
TO STILL HAVE AN ADJUDICATORY --
ROLL AND ROLL MAKING ROLE ON
WELL CHAIRMAN COLIN I APPRECIATE
YOU EMBARKING ON SUCH A
DIFFICULT.
VENTURE ADVENTURE HERE MAYBE.
BUT IT IS.
A STORY THAN IN HSTORIC AGENCY.
THE OTHERS.
IN THE THROES OF A LOT OF
CHANGES NOW. ONE OF THE CHECKS
AND BALANCES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
IS EFFECTED BY THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT.
ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THERE IS
THAT THERE ARE STATUTORY
FOUNDATION FOR THE THINGS THAT.
AN ENTITY WOULD DO THROUGH
REGULATION OR DEPARTMENT
OPERATION MANUAL OR WHATEVER.
MAYBE THIS IS JUST BEEN ALL
MINUTIA BUT DO YOU CONTEMPLATE A
HALF -- TO
HAVE TO REVIEW NOW.
YOUR REGULATIONS AND WILL THAT
BE DONE THROUGH THE
ADMINISTRATIVE.
PROCEDURES PROCESS IF YOU ARE
GOING TO BE REVIEWING.
THE REGULATIONS.
ARE THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES --
I WANTED TO PLEASE GO AHEAD IF
LIVING FOR LOVE IT MORE
THOUGHTFUL OF COURSE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY --
IN A CHAIR SO --
YES WE DO USE THAT PROCESS SO AS
AS RULE MAKING HIS A SIGNIFICANT.
PART OF THE BOARD'S
RESPONSIBILITY --
THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE
THEIR ABILITY TO SORT OF PULL
BACK.
AND LOOK AT THINGS HOLISTICALLY --
AS ONE OF THE GREAT VALUES THAT
THEY BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS
OF RULE MAKING REALLY STUDYING
THE ISSUES UNDERSTANDING ISSUES
CLEARLY STAFFER INVOLVED IN
SUPPORT OF BUT IN THAT RULE
MAKING PROCESS WE JUST RECENTLY
HAD SOME --
ON SOME RECENT ISSUES --
AND FOURTH QUARTER OF TWENTY
EIGHTEEN AND SO WE DO DOCUMENT
THAT PROCESS WE GET AND PUT
THROUGH --
STAKE HOLDERS THROUGH INTERESTED
PARTIES PROCESS --
THE MATERIAL IS THEN PRESENTED
TO THE BOARD --
FULL DISCUSSION IF YOU HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND LOOK
AT SOME OF THE HEARINGS OVER THE
LAST --
QUARTER FULL DISCUSSIONS AND
VERY ACTIVE ROLE THAT THE BOARD
PLAY THE BOARD PLAYED A
SIGNIFICANT ROLE --
IN WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS --
WITH THE THE TASK TAX ADVOCATE
THE THE ISSUE IS TO MAKE SURE
RULES WERE IN THIS CASE WE DO
USE AND WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW --
TO TO TRANSLATE --
THOSE ROLES AND TO GET THEM
CAUGHT BY.
THAT AND GET TO THE CHAIR COLIN
[inaudible]
YOU MENTIONED [inaudible]
OPPOSITION.
THIRTEEN I'M VERY SENSITIVE
ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE WHAT
DO YOU SEE.
PROSPECTIVELY.
AS THE BOARD WOULD BE.
PROCEEDING RELATED TO
PROPOSITION THIRTEEN WELL YOU
KNOW THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING
POINT I DON'T EVEN THINK OF I
DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THAT IN MY
CAR IN MY COMMENTS --
BUT AGAIN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT
COMES TO ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY
PROP THIRTEEN QUALIFIED IT'S
GOING TO THE BALLOT IN TWENTY
TWENTY I WOULD SAY IS NOW THE
TIME TO GET RID OF YOUR
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED --
THAT BODY --
I WOULD SUBMIT THE ANSWER STILL
IS NO PROP THIRTEEN IS.
A QUESTION THAT VOTERS ARE GOING
TO ASK AND THAT IS THAT QUESTION
IS IS ARE WE GOING TO BE A
REASSESSING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
THAT FALL SQUARELY IN THE ROLE
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
AND SQUARELY IN THE ROLE OF THE
ASSESSORS NOW IF IT PASSES THAT
WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
ON ON ASSESSORS PARTICULARLY
SENSORS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN
RURAL COUNTIES WHERE THEY ARE
UNDER RESOURCE ALREADY IN THEIR
DAILY FUNCTION.
AND WE WILL NEED TO WORK
COLLECTIVELY TO CREATE --
RULES AND GUIDELINES AND GIVE
THEM ASSISTANCE SO THAT THEY CAN
COMPLY WITH WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE
PUT FORWARD --
LARGER COUNTIES CHANGE AND AND
WHAT WHAT WILL BE CONSIDERED OR
WAS YOU FOR MISSILE THE
EUPHEMISTICALLY DESCRIBED AS A
SPLIT ROLE SPLITTING RESIDENTIAL
FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN THAT
ASSESSMENT BUT YOU KNOW A IT IS
IN THE FUTURE IT IS TO BE
DETERMINED.
I AM HERE TO MAKE THE CASE THAT
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BEGIN TO
QUESTION WHETHER NOT A
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED BODY
SHOULD.
SHOULD EXIST OR SHOULD NOT EXIST
I THINK THAT THIS IS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE THAT FURTHER DRIVES HOME
THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND
HAVE A BODY THAT IS NOT LEARNING.
BUT HAS A DEMONSTRATED TRACK LAP
RECORD FOR OUTSTANDING PROPERTY
ASSESSMENT THANK YOU SENATOR
NELSON THANK YOU.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT GOOD I
MIGHT NOTE THAT.
THE RURAL AREAS WOULD RATHER
VIEW THAT.
TO AND NOT THAT THEY'RE UNDER
RESOURCE BUT THEY'RE OVERTAXED.
AND THAT IS STILL THEIR POINT OF
VIEW.
I THINK THAT'S STILL THE POINT
OF VIEW OF MOST CALIFORNIANS.
AND WE WILL REST WITH THAT
PERSPECTIVE WELL BUT THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS
THANK YOU SENATOR.
THANK YOU MR VICE CHAIR.
I HAVE A FEW MORE BUT WOULD LIKE
TO BE TO SEE IF WE HAVE
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT IF IT'S ALRIGHT WITH
AT THE COMMITTEE'S WE JUST LIKE
THAT I'D TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME IN REGARDS A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS [inaudible]
I'M.
WE HEARD THE ADVOCACY BY THE
CHAIR WOMAN IN REGARDS TO THE
BELIEVE THEY NEED --
FOR AN ELECTED BOARD.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS IN
THE CAPITAL SAYING THAT LOOK
STATE AGENCIES.
CAN.
I TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE DO WHAT THE BILL WE DIES
AND A DAILY BASIS WITHOUT AN
ELECTED BOARD.
WELL I THINK THE QUESTION IS CAN
CAN THEY DO IT I'M SURE I MEAN
THEY'RE VERY SMART TALENTED
PEOPLE BUT THE QUESTION IS IS
HOW WELL WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO
IT HOW WELL WILL THEY BE ABLE TO
FULLY EXECUTE.
DOING WORK THAT WE HAVE
HISTORICALLY BEEN DOING FOR A
HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS AND I
SUBMIT THAT NOBODY WILL BE ABLE
TO DO A BETTER THAN AN AGENCY
THAT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR AS
LONG AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT.
OKAY I I THINK THE ONLY.
BRING THAT UP IS THAT LOOK AT
AGAIN I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SAY
[inaudible]
AT THE CHAIR WOMAN.
THIS CURRENT BOARD HAD NOTHING
TO DO WITH THE SINS OF THE PAST
WHO.
BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST
AND I AND I DO BELIEVE THERE
STILL CLOUD.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO THERE ARE SOME
AGREE JUST ACTIONS.
JUST. TWO YEARS AGO.
WHICH LEAD THE LEGISLATURE AND
THE GOVERNOR DO YOU DO BUT THEY
DIDN'T TAKE THE ACTION.
IN.
OUR THERE IS GONNA BE DISCUSSION
OF DO WE NEED --
AGAIN I WANT YOU JUST COMMENT IS
WE DID DISCUSS PRIOR TO THIS
HEARING WANTING TO MAKE SURE
THAT.
YOU HAVE YOUR TIME IN EACH YOU
HAVE YOUR SAY.
THAT WORD CAN BE A BOARD OF
EXPERTS --
THAT HAS --
BACKGROUND IN WHICH THE SUBJECT
MATTER IS ON A DAILY BASIS
[inaudible]
I YOU COULD CREATE A SERIES OF
AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AS
WE'VE SEEN WITH THIS TRANSITION.
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB THAT
THE BOARD'S DOING NOW.
I AND THE STAFF IS STILL ABLE TO
DO THE PROFESSIONAL WORK.
SO. FORTY NINE OTHER STATES ARE
ABLE TO DO IT --
I UNDERSTAND THAT CALIFORNIA'S
LARGEST BUT AGAIN I JUST WANNA
MAKE SURE WE DRILL DOWN ON THAT
ISSUE BEFORE WE LEAVE BECAUSE
THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF
CONVERSATION IN THE HALLS AROUND
HERE IS YOU KNOW.
I WANNA GIVE BOTH THE
OPPORTUNITY.
AND IGN DATES DO WHICH I
UNFORTUNATELY DON'T KNOW IF
THEY'RE DOING IT WELL THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WE
KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING IT BUT
WE HAVE NO ASSESSMENT AS TO
WHETHER THEY'RE EXECUTING FULLY.
ON AND I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S
PEOPLE THAT GRIPE AND SAY THAT
THAT THERE ISN'T THE OTHER THING
YOU BRING HOME A REALLY
INTERESTING POINT ABOUT.
IT SHOULD THE BODY BE ELECTED A
SHOULD BE FILLED WITH EXPERTS I
I YOU KNOW IT QUITE HONESTLY I
WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO
QUALIFICATION --
IN ORDER TO SERVE ON THE BOARD
OF EDUCATION YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BE A CERTIFIED CLASSROOM TEACHER
TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW
HOW TO OPERATE A MUNY BUS OR A
LIGHT RAIL.
IN ORDER TO SERVE IN ANY OF THE
AND THE TRANSPORTATION ENTITIES
WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS IS
THAT WHAT YOU NEED OUR DEDICATED
ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE
CONNECTED AND REMEMBER WHO THEY
SERVE.
AND ARE COMMITTED TO TO A
LIFETIME OF SERVICE AND I
BELIEVE THAT IF YOU'RE HAVING
TROUBLE WITH ANY KIND OF IT.
ANY KIND OF AGENCY THAT YOU NEED
MORE DEMOCRACY AND NOT LESS YOU
NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY WHAT
CONCERNS ME IS IF YOU GO INTO
THE BUREAUCRATI STRUCTURE IS
THAT REALLY --
MEETINGS ARE TELEVISED YOU GET
MINUTES YOU DON'T GET TO A TEE
YOU GET WHICH IS A SET OF
SOMEONE ELSE'S SUMMATION OF WHAT
TRANSPIRED IN THE MEAT IN THE
MEETINGS AND I THINK THAT THERE
WAS SOMETHING THAT IS LOST.
AND IN THE IN THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE LOSING WILL BE TAX PLAYERS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY DAY
PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO HIRE A LOBBYIST AND
DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES. TO DO
IT TO HIRE A LAWYER TO WALK THE
HALLS AN ADVOCATE ON THEIR
BEHALF I MEAN THIS YOU'RE TAKING
AWAY -- THE
THE THE THE THE THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA AS WALLY'S TO HAVE AN
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WHOM THEY
CAN GO TO YOU CAN WALK INTO THE
OFFICE YOU CAN SCHEDULE AN
APPOINTMENT.
AND AND REACH OUT.
TO CAN THEY DO IT I YOU KNOW
THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED THE
REALLY I THINK THE QUESTION IS
WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO IT WELL
[inaudible]
THE MANAGER.
MANAGING DIRECTOR ANY ITEMS --
SO I CAN KERR --
I KNOW THIS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
I DO --
INPUT ON THE HALF AND I'M NOT
JUST THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE AGENCY AND REPRESENTING OUR
EMPLOYEES AND OUR BOARD --
BUT JUST AS A CITIZEN.
THERE'S A DEFINITE VALUE. TO
HAVING REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE
VOTERS --
SELECTED TO BE THERE TO
REPRESENT THEM.
MOM AND I WOULD I WOULD LEAVE
YOU WITH.
THE BOARD HAS A VALUE IS A
DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE YOU
KNOW THE WORKLOAD HAS SHIFTED WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT --
WE LIVE THROUGH IT SO SO THAT'S
TRUE.
BUT I THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE
THAT I'D LIKE TO MAYBE LEAVE
WITH YOU AND MAYBE SORT OF
DEMYSTIFYING --
AND SOME OF THE SOME OF THE SOME
OF THE SOME OF THINKING OUT
THERE AND AND MAYBE CLARIFY.
I THINK OUR HISTORICALLY WITHOUT
THE PRIOR BOARD THERE WAS A LOT
OF WORK LOAD --
AND SELL THE VOLUME SPOKE TO ALL
LOOK THE BOARD IS BUSY --
THREE FORTY BOARD MEETINGS VERY
LONG DAYS ECCENTRIC CETERA --
THE VOLUME DOESN'T NECESSARILY
REPRESENT THE CURRENT B. O. E.
THE B. WE KIRBY --
EACH TO DOUBT I'LL DEFINITELY
HAS A WORKLOAD --
THAT'S REDUCED FROM WHAT IT WAS
BEFORE BUT THE COMPLEXITY OF
PROPERTY TAXES WHAT IS SO
IMPRESSIVE AN AMAZING.
AND IT'S NOT COMPLEX JUST FOR
THE SAKE OF BEING COMPLEX IS
COMPLEX BECAUSE THE YOU KNOW THE
ISSUES OF FOR F. PROPERTY --
THAT THE THE VALUATION PRICE
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION --
AND REPRESENTING AND SUPPORTING
THE STATUS AS SEASON THE COUNTY
SAYS HE'S THAT COMPLEXITY IS
WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS SO I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD MEASURE
IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW THAT SO
THAT SAID WITH THAT COMPLEXITY.
ON TO THE CHAIR'S POINT WHEN YOU
HAVE ELECTED STATE YOU CAN REACH
OUT TO TO HELP WITH THE
TRANSLATION ARE GRANTED YOU KNOW
ONE OF THE THINGS AND PHYLLIS
AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU KNOW
THE STATUS AS THESE ARE LARGE
ORGANIZATIONS --
BUT I DO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE STILL
HAVE APPEALS WHEN THEY HAVE
THOSE CHALLENGES IT IS NICE TO
BE ABLE TO ESCALATE IT TO
SOMEONE WHO.
COMES FROM A BACKGROUND OF NOT
JUST BEING YOU KNOW AND FOR
THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN
WORKING FOR THE STATE FOR A LONG
TIME I GET THAT BUT JUST HAVING
SOMEBODY WHO HAS A DIFFERENT
BACKGROUND.
AS ELECTED TO BRINGS SO MANY
OTHER INCREDIBLE TALENTS TO THE
TABLE SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO
ESCALATE YOU KNOW THROUGH THE
APPEALS PROCESS ISSUES THAT COME
BEFORE THE BOARD I MEAN THAT.
MAY BE DIFFERENT SPEC
PERSPECTIVE ON REAL MAKING KINDS
OF THINGS I THINK THEY DO BRING
KIND OF JUST A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE FROM THAT VERSES.
INTERNAL TO THE B. WE WE HAVE
STATE EMPLOYEES AND IF WE HAD WE%
WRITTEN YOU KNOW ESCALATED TO AN
APPEAL PROCESS THAT GOES TO
OTHER STATE EMPLOYEES I THINK
IT'S KIND OF IT MIGHT BE A BIT
ONE DIMENSIONAL EVEN WITH SOME
INDEPENDENT BOARDS.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK
ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE
PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF THE RICH
BACKGROUNDS THAT ELECTED TO
BRING TO THE TABLE.
THANK YOU MADAM EXACTLY LIKE
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
EXACTLY RECTOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE
ITEM I LIKE TO JUST BETTER
DISCUSS THAT I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION
REGARDS.
TO DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BOARD
MEMBER IN THIS --
NEW REALITY IN WHICH YOU ARE
LIVING IN NOW.
BUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTION
REGARDS OFFICE SPACE SO --
THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT
BEER WE MOVING OUT.
I I I THINK IN IN THOMAS RIGHT
ARM.
WHAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING.
DOWNTOWN IF YOU WILL VERSUS.
NEW THOMAS SO CAN YOU JUST TALK
ABOUT TAX THAT'S BEEN AN ITEM
THAT'S BEEN BUBBLING OVER IT HAS
BEEN IN THANK YOU FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY IT IS. ONE OF MY TOP
PRIORITIES SO JUST PATIENT THAT
BINGE THE MAJORITY OF OUR
CURRENT BE WE TO AN EMPLOYEES OF
AM ARE HAPPEN TO THOMAS LOCATION --
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR
QUITE SOME TIME YOU KNOW EVEN
WITH B. WE WENT OUT --
THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE THERE --
IT SET UP THAT WAY YOU KNOW TO
SUPPORT ITS EASY ACCESS FOR THE
COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OF COURSE WE
DO TRAINING WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
MEETINGS THERE EXCEPT FOR THAT
YOU KNOW COUNTY ASSESSOR SERVICE.
ARE -- USE
THAT AS KIND OF AN EXTENSION IF
YOU WILL SOMETIMES OF THEIR
OFFICES --
X. -- NOT
DAY TODAY BUT JUST IN TERMS OF
TRAINING EXCEPT FOR CONFERENCES
MEETINGS --
THE THIS IS A SMALLER PERCENTAGE
OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE
DOWNTOWN LOCATION SO THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICER LEGAL STAFF
ARE BORE PROCEEDINGS.
THE LAW SAYS NO CREATED THAT
BARRIER THAT FIREWALL BETWEEN
THE THE ELECTED BOARD AND THE
EMPLOYEES.
AND SO THE ISSUE OF HAVING THE
STAFF MOVED TO ONE SIXTY PROM
NIGHT AT THE THOMAS LOCATION IS
ACTUALLY NOT A PROBLEM --
THE CONSOLIDATION OF ALL THE
EMPLOYEES IN THAT LOCATION
ACTUALLY WOULD THERE WERE SOME
DEFINITELY SOME EFFICIENCIES
THERE.
THERE'S GONNA BE SOME
ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE IT'S SHIFT
IN BUSINESS MODEL FOREST BECAUSE
AGAIN WE WERE WITH CD TFA AND SO
A LOT OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES ARE SO TIGHTLY COUPLED.
THAT WILL BE MOVED TO ANOTHER
LOCATION WE'VE GOT TO WORK OUT
THE LOGISTICS WE CAN DO THAT.
I THINK THE GREATER ISSUE IS FOR
THE BOARD MEMBER SPECIFICALLY I
JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT
BECAUSE IN WORKING WITH YOU KNOW
SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES I
THOUGHT ALL OF THE WE WANTED TO
BE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE DOOR AND
IT'S NOT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
STAFFING OKAY.
MOVING TUNA THOMAS BUT THE BOARD
MEMBERS OFFICIAL TAKE TO
MAINTAIN THAT SEPARATION BECAUSE
THAT JUST FROM THE OPTICS YOU
SEE THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE
NOT DIRECTLY --
ENGAGING DAY TODAY WITH THE
EMPLOYEES.
I THINK THE GREATER THING
HOWEVER IS THEIR ROLE --
WHERE WE FIND THE VALUE OF THE
BOARD AND AND ONE OF THE OTHER
LANES IS THEIR ADVOCACY
SOMETIMES AND IN THIS CASE FOR
THINGS THAT THE AGENCY IS
FIGHTING?
FOR AND SO I THINK AS YOUR
COLLEAGUES --
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS IN YOUR
COLLEAGUES I THINK THE CLOSE
PROXIMITY CONSISTENT WITH OTHER --
ELECTED --
AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ARM
ALL ARE DOWN INTO THE DOWNTOWN
LOCATION SO I THINK TO THE
EXTENT IF I COULD USE FOR THIS
ANALOGY IF YOU COME TO THE
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER ON TABLE
IF YOU WILL --
HAVING A MATTE CLOSE PROXIMITY
TO BE A PART OF THE STATE WIDE
POLICY SETTING NOW STATEWIDE
DISCUSSIONS ON SIGNIFICANT ISSUE
PROPERTY TAX AND BE TAXING TAKES
THAT TAXATION BEING ONE OF THEM.
I THINK THE CLOSE PROXIMITY --
AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE EASY
ACCESS TO MANY OF THE STAKE
HOLDERS THAT ARE VISITING YOUR
OFFICES COME TO THE TO TO THE
BOARD'S OFFICES EXCEPT FOR WOULD
BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
I'M SO I THINK THAT AND JUST
BASED UPON THE NATURE OF THE
WORK THAT WE'RE SEEING --
I THINK IT'S IT'S A FREE GENERAL
PROXIMITY AND OBSCENITY AS AS AS
THEIR COLLEAGUES ARE.
EXCEPTIONAL.
NO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I THINK
IT'S GONNA BE A I WON'T GO ANY
DEEPER DIVE WITH THAT BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT A MAN OF MY CHAIR WILL
HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THAT AS
WELL AND ON THE ISSUE OF AIDID'S
YES [inaudible]
I AM.
BUT I'M SURE I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE
JUST A FINISH UP HI THEN I ASKED
FOR CLOSING COMMENTS UP FROM.
OTHER COMMITTEES IN THE CLOSING
COMING FROM YOU MADAM CHAIR SO
LOOK TRANSITIONS HAPPEN WERE
TWENTY ONE ST --
LESS OF A WORKLOAD AND THEIR
WIVES SO AGAIN.
TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THAT DALE
LOOKS I THINK QUESTION I ASKED.
A CONTROLLER HE WATER BOARD
MEMBERS DOING ON A DAILY BASIS
HOW DO YOU INTERACT WITH
CONSTITUENTS TAXPAYERS AND A
DAILY BASIS.
YOU CAN DO THAT TEAM TIME FOR US
IN IN SPECIFIC --
I AND AGAIN I BELIEVE THAT.
ON A DAILY BASIS.
I'VE GOT TWENTY THREE COUNTIES
SO FOR ME IT IS THEM --
IT'S IMPERATIVE TO GET ON THE
ROAD AND CONNECT WITH EACH ONE
OF MY TWENTY THREE ASSESSORS --
TAKING PHONE CALLS AND NOW WE
ARE IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY.
QUESTIONS COME IN TEXT MESSAGE
RECEIVING A TEXT MESSAGE BUT
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA --
FACEBOOK QUITE HONESTLY I'VE GOT
A LOT OF FAITH.
TWITTER MESSAGES THAT ARE COMING
IN WITH EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION
OR NEEDING HELP AN ADVOCACY --
PHONE CASES THAT ARE PENDING
BEFORE --
I'VE GOT A CONSTITUENCY THAT
HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FIRES
IN THE FLOODS THEY HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX
ASSESSMENT WE'VE BEEN ANSWERING
QUESTIONS --
ON A DAILY BASIS --
THANK YOU TO YOU MISTER MCGUIRE
IN THIS HEARING IS ALLOWED ME AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF
WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF THE
LEGISLATURE. TO TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE BE A WEEK --
AND THEN THAT DUE DILIGENCE I'VE
LEARNED THAT THERE ARE SOME
PEOPLE THAT ARE KEENLY TUNE IN
AND THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE NOT.
AWARE ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF
REALLY EXPLAINING NOT ONLY
MYSELF AND MY BACKGROUND WHAT
QUALIFIES ME AND BUT ALSO THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE RELEVANT
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS THAT HAS TO
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA --
THIS IS A THIS IS AGAIN GOING
ABOVE AND BEYOND THE DISCUSSION
THAT WAS LAID OUT ABOUT --
THE RULE MAKING --
ABOUT --
CONNECTING WITH ASSESSORS --
I TENDING ASSESSOR MEETINGS WE
ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF
SETTING UP A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE --
TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS AND DIVE
DOWN -- ON
THE JOB --
PROPERTY TAX ISSUES --
SPECIFICALLY MANY OF THE
PROPERTY TAX ISSUES WORD WE'RE
DONE B. B. EMAILS --
AND NOW THEY WILL BE THE THIS IS
A PRACTICE THAT THE PREVIOUS
FOUR DID WE ARE BRINGING IT BACK
INTO THE HOT INTO THE FRONT.
AND WE WILL BE HEARING MORE
ITEMS WE WILL STILL AND AGAIN
WORKING WITH --
TREASURES AND TAX COLLECTORS AS
WELL ALL OF ALL ACROSS THE
ENTIRE STATE.
DID I MISS ANYTHING I DON'T
THINK I THINK THAT COVERS
EVERYTHING.
ON A DAILY BASIS.
MY PLEASURE THANK YOU.
IF WE HAVE ANY --
CLOSING ON INTO THE CHAIR.
HERE YOU SEE NONE MADAM CHAIR
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
CLOSE YEAH IT WOULD JUST LIKE TO
SAY THAT UNLIKE THE CONTROLLER
I'M SORRY THAT SHE'S NOT ABLE TO
HEAR FIRST HAND --
OUR THOUGHTS --
I LOOK FOR TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH HER
CANDIDLY --
AND I I THINK STAFF IS HERE TO
AND AND WILL RELAY THE MESSAGE
BUT TO YOU SENATOR INTO THIS
WONDERFUL DISTINGUISHED BODY I
WOULD SAY THAT WHAT IS BEST FOR
OUR TAXPAYERS IS IS --
ELECTED REPRESENTATION.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH VENTURE MADAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
VERY.
WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE BOARD
EQUALIZATION AS WELL AS A
CONTROLLER AND THEIR TEAMS AT
WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY WE'RE
NOW GOING TO MOVE. TO OUR FINAL
PANEL HIGH IN THIS IS GOING TO
BE FOCUSED ON EXAMINING BOARDS
FUTURE BEFORE WE DO WE DO WANT
TO LET FOLKS KNOW THERE WILL BE
A FUTURE HEARING --
WITH --
CALVIN DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE
ADMINISTRATION ALONG WITH THE
OFFICE OF TAXPAYER APPEAL --
TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THEIR
TWENTY AND WE'LL BE BRINGING --
THE TEAM BACK TOGETHER BUT TO BE
ABLE TO EXAMINE THE BOARD'S
FUTURE WE WANTED TO BE TO BRING
IN INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK WITH.
THE BEER WE ON A DAILY BASIS AND
WE LIKE EACH OF THE FOUR TO BE
TO COME FORWARD WE HAVE THE
CALAVERAS COUNTY ASSESSOR LESLIE
DAVIS --
ALSO SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSESSORS ASSOCIATION.
THE RETIRED MARINE COUNTY
ASSESSOR SARICH BENSON IS HERE
WE HAVE TREES TO MAY --
WHO IS REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
AND WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL THAT
SAMANTHA CORBIN FROM THE
CALIFORNIA TAX REFORM
ASSOCIATION HERE IS HERE WITH US
TODAY?
THE FORMAT OF THIS LAST PANEL IS
GOING TO BE FIVE NO MORE THAN
SEVEN MINUTES FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL WE WILL THEN OPEN IT
UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WE
APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
HANGING WITH US HERE TODAY ON
THIS IMPORTANT HEARING WE'RE NOW
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA SUCH
DECISION MISTAKE THIS MISTAKE
THIS WELCOME THE COMMITTEE THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME YEAH.
THANK YOU MISTER CHAIRMAN THANK
YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY.
THE CALIFORNIA ASSESSORS
ASSOCIATION IS A STATEWIDE
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION.
OF COUNTY ASSESSOR'S THAT WAS
CREATED IN.
NINETEEN OH TWO OUR EARLIEST
HISTORICAL RECORD SHOW THAT ONE
OF CAA'S PRIMARY PURPOSES IS TO
WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE BE --
WE CAME TO MIND AT SCHOOL IN THE
MIKE A LITTLE CLOSER I APOLOGIZE.
I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR WEIGHT
RICHARD.
THAT'S GREAT OKAY.
THAT CONTINUES ASSESSORS HAVE A
UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
THE BOP PROVIDES CRITICAL
REVIEWS SUPPORT AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO THE INDEPENDENTLY
ELECTED COUNTY ASSESSOR'S IN
EACH OF CALIFORNIA'S FIFTY EIGHT
COUNTIES.
I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO OUR
WHITE PAPER ON THE STATE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION BUT THE
DESCRIPTION OF THOSE AREAS THAT
ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOCUS MY
COMMENTS IF I MAY.
ON THE AREA IS REQUESTED BY THE
CHAIR THAT WHITE PAPER WAS
DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF THE
COMMITTEES AS WELL SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU STATE LAW REQUIRES
THAT WE WORK TOGETHER IN SEVERAL
AREAS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO APPRAISER AND ASSESSMENT
ANALYST CERTIFICATION.
AND DEVELOPING STANDARDIZED
FORMS WE CO ADMINISTER WELFARE
EXEMPTIONS AND WE'VE EXPANDED
OUR COLLABORATION INTO OTHER
AREAS THAT INCLUDE TRAINING AND
OUR COUNTY SURVEYS.
IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IN GENERAL
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOP HAS
BEEN GOOD.
WE'VE HAD SOME ROUGH PATCHES OF
COURSE ELECTIONS CHANGE THE
MAKEUP OF OUR ORGANIZATION JUST
AS THEY CHANGE THE BOARD.
IN THE END WE'RE ALL WORKING FOR
THE TAXPAYERS OF CALIFORNIA AND
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE GREATEST
STRENGTH OF THE BOARD WHEN THEY
KEEP THAT FOCUS.
THE BIGGEST CRITICISM I'VE HEARD
OF THE BOARD IS THAT MEMBERS
SOMETIMES ACT AS IF THEY'RE
BEHOLDEN TO SPECIAL INTERESTS.
THAT HELP FUND THEIR LAST OR
THEIR NEXT CAMPAIGN.
HOWEVER I'VE HEARD THAT
CRITICISM OF OTHER ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND I'M REMINDED OF
THE OLD ADAGE THAT WHEN YOU'RE
POINTING YOUR FINGER AT SOMEONE.
THREE FINGERS ARE POINTING BACK
AT YOU.
THE FACT THAT CALIFORNIA IS
UNIQUE IN THE NATION WITH AN
ELECTED BOARD RESPONSIBLE FOR
ADMINISTERING PROPERTY TAX LAW.
DOES NOT INHERENTLY CREATE
PROBLEMS OR MAKE IT BETTER OR
WORSE AT PERFORMING ITS TASKS.
THE EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF
PROPERTY TAX LAW HAS A DIRECT
IMPACT ON TAXPAYERS AND NON
GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS.
IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A
PRIORITY BY THE STATE.
FROM A PUBLIC POLICY STANDPOINT
TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS HAVE THE
RIGHT TO EXPECT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND FOR THE MOST PART THEY GET
THAT WHEN THEY CHOOSE THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES.
THE CALIFORNIA ASSESSORS
ASSOCIATION FEELS VERY STRONGLY
THAT THE BEER WE USE MOST
IMPORTANT FUNCTION AS AN
ASSESSMENT AGENCY.
REQUIRES A VASTLY DIFFERENT
SKILL SET THAN A TAX AGENCY.
ATTACKS AGENCY IS CONCERNED AN
ACCOUNTING.
AND ASSESSMENT AGENCY IS
CONCERNED WITH FAIR EQUITABLE
STANDARDIZED IN UNIFORM
ASSESSMENT PRACTICES.
THE TEARS QUESTION COMPARING THE
BOP TO AN ASSESSMENT APPEALS
BOARD WOULD TAKE MORE THAN FIVE
MINUTES TO DISCUSS.
AND IN MANY WAYS IT'S LIKE
COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES.
AND ASSESSMENT APPEALS BOARD IS
ACQUIRES I JUDICIAL BODY WHOSE
ONLY FUNCTION IS TO ADJUDICATE A
DISPUTE BETWEEN A TAXPAYER AND
THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
THAT DECISION AFFECTS ONE VALUE%
ON ONE ASSESSMENT ROLL.
THE VIDEO IS RESPONSIBILITY IS
OVERSIGHT STANDARDIZATION AND
GUIDANCE ON LOCAL ASSESSMENT
PRACTICES.
BAD HAS STATE WIDE RAMIFICATIONS.
THE QUESTION OF MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS IS ONE AREA WHERE
CA MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE AGREEMENT.
LIKE YOU.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION OTHER STATE
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND EVEN
ASSESSORS.
NEED ONLY BE EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD
REGISTERED TO VOTE IN ORDER TO
HOLD OFFICE.
IT IS UP TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.
WHO WILL ACT IN THEIR BEST
INTEREST?
I THINK WE CAN AGREE ON TRAINING
IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT
THAT THE NEWLY ELECTED BOARD
MEMBERS HAVE ENGAGED IN TRAINING
ACTIVITIES AT THEIR FIRST TWO
BOARD MEETINGS.
AND THERE ARE CLEARLY READING
THE ASSESSORS HANDBOOKS.
BUT I WOULD ADD THAT IT IS
ALWAYS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS
SUCCESSORS TO EDUCATE ABOARD
WHEN THERE IS A DISPUTE.
OR AN IMPORTANT MATTER THAT
THERE CAN AN APPEALS BOARD A
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR A BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION.
ASSESSORS ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO
ENSURE WE PROVIDE BACKGROUND AT
LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THESE
DECISIONS WE'VE MADE.
AS FOR COMPENSATION THAT DEBATE
COULD TAKE WEEKS AND I'M RUNNING
OUT OF TIME SO I'LL PASS ON THAT.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT
MENTION THAT BEER WE STAFF IN
INTERNAL OPERATIONS HAVE
SUFFERED.
AS A RESULT OF A B..
ONE OH TWO WHEN STAFF IS FACED
WITH THE TYPE OF UPHEAVAL AND
UNCERTAINTY BROUGHT ON BY THAT
MASSIVE IT CHANGE.
IT AFFECTS PRODUCTIVITY AND
EFFICIENCY.
STAFF SALARIES ARE INSUFFICIENT
TO RETAIN OR ATTRACT THE BEST
AND THE BRIGHTEST.
AND THE NEW CONSTRAINTS ON
HIRING AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISIONS HAVE ESSENTIALLY
HANDCUFF THE AGENCY.
THE BOP HAS LOST ITS
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY AND I
BELIEVE THAT WILL HAVE LONG TERM
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
WE HAVE ABOUT ONE MINUTE MA'AM.
THANK YOU I THINK I CAN DO THAT
BUT I'LL JUST TALK FAST.
WE BELIEVE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO
EXPECT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
OF PROPERTY TAX LAWS INDEPENDENT
TRANSPARENT FAIR EQUITABLE
NONPARTISAN AND ACCESSIBLE.
THE STRAIGHT SHOULD BE TRUE OF
LOCAL ASSESSOR'S AS WELL AS A
STATE AGENCY THAT OVERSEES AND
ASSESS THEIR OFFICES.
ANY CHANGES IN THE
ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE
CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY
REVIEWED.
THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOT HAVE AN
OFFICIAL POSITION ON A CA.
TO AS THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
IS THE PRINCIPAL REGULATORY
AGENCY OVERSEEING THE PRACTICES
OF ASSESSORS.
WE DEEM IT APPROPRIATE TO REMAIN
NEUTRAL REGARDING ISSOLUTION
IT'D BE --
WE IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY
APPEARANCE OF CONFLICT OF
INTEREST.
HAVING SAID THAT WE STRONGLY
BELIEVE THE CURRENT DUTIES OF
THE BORDER NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN
UNIFORMITY ACROSS THE STATE.
WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
THOSE DUTIES DO NOT GET LOST IN
THE SHUFFLE.
THIS WILL BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
IF ACA TO EMMA SPLIT ROLE
PROPOSAL ARE BOTH APPROVED BY
VOTERS IN THE SAME YEAR.
I'M ONE OF A FEW ASSESSORS IN
THE STATE WHO WAS IN THE
BUSINESS ONE PROPOSITION
THIRTEEN PASSED.
IT CREATED TURMOIL IN OUR
OFFICES THAT IS DIFFICULT TO
DESCRIBE.
WE RELIED ON REGULAR
COMMUNICATION WITH THE B. O. E.
AS WE WORK TO IMPLEMENT THAT
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
I WOULD EXPECT SIMILAR CHAOS IF
WE FOUND OURSELVES DEALING WITH
TWO CHANGES LIKE SPLIT ROLE AN
ACA TO SIMULTANEOUSLY.
MISTER CHAIR I REALLY WANT TO
SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU
ASKING FOR OUR OPINION AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY HERE
TODAY.
I HOPE WE CAN GIVE YOU
INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP YOU
AND YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS
YOU DELIBERATE WHAT WE THINK IS
AN ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
A SERIES OF QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU.
IT IS MUCH BETTER PRESENT WE'RE
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME THANK YOU
FOR MAKING THE AT THE TRIP AS
WELL VERY GRATEFUL IT'S GOOD TO
SEE YOU.
WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO BE TO TURN
THE FLOOR OVER TO RICH BENSON
HE'S A RETIRED ASSESSOR FROM THE
COUNTY MARIN AND I DO WANT TO
SAY CONGRATULATIONS BY THE WAY.
A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER
SIR WE WELCOME YOU TO COMMITTEE
YOU HAVE FIVE NO MORE THAN SEVEN
MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE
MINUTE PROMPT FLOORS SOURCE.
THANK YOU MISTER CHAIRMAN AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE --
AS YOU KNOW MY NAME IS RICH
BENSON -- I
GUESS I'M A LITTLE LUCKY BECAUSE
I'M RETIRED AND I LISTENED
CAREFULLY TO SOME YOUR QUESTION
SO I'M GONNA TRY TO PICK UP
SPECIFICALLY.
ON SOME OF THOSE BUT JUST AS A
MATTER OF BACKGROUND.
WAS THIRTY THREE YEARS IN THE
ASSESSOR'S OFFICE ACTED FUNCTION.
OF FOR THE COUNTY OF MARIN --
YEAH I ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE
WORK THAT I DID SEXY --
AND WOULD TAKE --
ISSUE TO THE FACT THAT PROPERTY
TAXES OR ANYTHING BUT SEXY.
AND I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT.
THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE WHAT THE
PEOPLE DESERVE --
NOT NECESSARILY TO POINT TO ME
BUT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU REALLY WANT IS SOMEBODY THAT
IS SO COMMITTED AND DEDICATED
THEIR CAREER. TO THE PROCESS OF
PROPERTY TAXATION DAD DAY BECOME
A STUDENT OF IT THAT THEY STUDY
IT THEY BECOME A SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERT.
AND THEY DEVELOP A LEVEL OF
EXCERPT CURTICE.
THAT IS ON COMPROMISE A BALL NOW
I WILL SAY TO MISS DAVIS THAT
SHE AND I CO TAUGHT MANY YEARS
AGO THE ONE AND ONLY ETHICS
CLASS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR ASSESSORS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE
ASKING FOR TODAY.
I WOULD POINT TO A COUPLE OF
THINGS THAT I THINK ARE VERY
IMPORTANT. ONE IS THAT THE
NATURE OF WHAT IS THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION BUT THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION WAS SOMETHING THAT
BEGAN AS YOU'VE HEARD OVER AND
OVER OVER A HUNDRED AND FORTY
YEARS AGO --
AND IT WAS THE PURPOSE WAS TO
EQUALIZE THE ASSESSMENT BETWEEN
OR CROSS COUNTIES FOR THAT
COUNTIES HAD THE SAME LEVEL.
SINCE PROP THIRTEEN THAT'S GONE
WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE WHAT WE
TRY TO DO REALLY INSTEAD OF
EQUALIZATION IS UNIFORMITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY MORE TODAY
WHAT THE FUNCTION OF THE BOARD
IS LET ME READ TO YOU THE
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE BOARD
AND SEE IF YOU CAN.
GATHER FROM THIS THE CONNECTION
THAT THE PUBLIC. TO WHAT THEIR
FUNCTION IS TO THEIR MISSION
STATEMENT.
THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE
BOARD OF VEHICLES TO SERVE THE
PUBLIC THROUGH FAIR AFFECT OF AN
EFFICIENT TAX ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT'S THAT.
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS A
DISCONNECT IN SOME MEASURE
BETWEEN EITHER THE?
PEOPLE THAT ELECTED BY MEMBERS
OF THE BOARD EXHORTATION AND
WHAT THEIR FUNCTIONS ARE.
AND I THINK THERE'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US AS A
STATE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT HOW DO
YOU MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO BOTH
HAVING ELECTIVES AND APPOINTED
OR NON ELECTIVES IN --
THE CAPACITY OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION OF WHAT THE ROLE IS
IT'S MY OPINION THAT YOU CAN
HAVE BOTH.
AND I THINK --
AT LEAST SINCE THE TIME OF PROP
THIRTEEN THAT WE KNOW A LOT MORE
ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE DID.
AND THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR US TO BUILD THAT STRUCTURE
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY HARD TO DO
WITH ELECTED BUT IT IS EASY TO
DO TO BUILD STRUCTURE.
ETHICS AND STANDARDS WHEN YOU'RE
NOT DEALING WITH ELECTED
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
OUT OF SENATOR NIELSEN WITH
REGARD TO YOUR QUESTION ON
PROPOSITION THIRTEEN AND LET'S
SAY THE VULNERABILITY THAT IT
JUST BLOWS --
TO WITH SPECIFICALLY TO THE
SPLIT ROLE IT'S BEEN MY
OBSERVATION THAT WHEN THESE
THINGS HAPPEN AND BEAR IN MIND
THE SO CALLED CORRUPTION THAT
HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
WITH THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
WHETHER ITS RECENT OR IN THE
PAST HAS BEEN CYCLICAL FOR THE
WHOLE PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE
HUNDRED FORTY YEARS.
WELL THAT'S NOTHING NEW AND YOU
KNOW REALITY IS YOU GOTTA GO
THROUGH IT AGAIN YES WOULD YOU
GO THROUGH IT AGAIN IF IT'S
ELECTED OR APPOINTED.
PROBABLY YES.
BUT YOU CAN BUILD CONTROLS IN
THE APPOINTED POSITIONS THAT YOU
CAN'T DO IN THE ELECTED
POSITIONS.
AND WE HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE DO
THAT NOW IN TERMS OF BUILDING
THAT STRUCTURE CREATING ETHICS
CREATING STANDARDS CREATING
TRAINING IT CETERA.
THAT MAY BE ABSENT IN THE IN THE
CONTEXT OF ELECTIVES NOW WITH
REGARD TO WHEN DOES THAT HAPPEN
WHEN.
YOU GET A PROPOSITION THIRTEEN
ROLL IT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A
DEFICIENCY WHEN THE VOTERS LOOK
AND SAY THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
WITH TAXATION BE IT PROPERTY
TAXATION.
AND THEY SAY IF THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
WHOMEVER IS NOT WILLING TO
CHANGE IT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT SO
IT'S REALLY A CANARY IN THE COAL
MINE. ONE OF THE MOLES IN MY
OBSERVATION OF MY TENURE AS AN
ELECTED.
AND I SAY MY COMMENTS WITH
RESPECT TO ALL ELECTED'S OF
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD NOW MEMBERS
OF THE BOARD IN THE PAST AND
I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH
MEMBERS OF BOARD. FOR NEARLY
THIRTY YEARS --
AND I'VE HAD THE THE BENEFIT OF
BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT
LEGISLATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN IDEAS THAT I'VE BROUGHT
FORWARD I'VE HAD COURT CASES GO
UP THROUGH THE COURT OF APPEALS
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA --
I'VE TAUGHT ME MANY DIFFERENT
SESSIONS AT CETERA BUT
SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT
WHAT HAPPENS THE VOTERS REACT
WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING
EFFICIENTLY.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT PROPERTY
TAXES TODAY AND ONE OF THE
DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION IN THE ASSESSORS.
IT'S SOMETIMES RAISES THE
QUESTION IS THE BOARD REACTIVE
OR THEY PROACTIVE OR THEY
CONFLICT ADVERSE.
DO THEY REACT TO THEIR
CONSTITUENTS OR THE INFLUENCE
THAT'S UPON THEM AND WITH REGARD
TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
ASSESSORS. FOR INTERESTED
PARTIES AND THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION WHILE PROVISION IS
BEEN THAT THEY'VE ACTED MORE
ARBITRATORS ARE MEDIATORS THAN A
TAXPAYING AUTHORITY.
AND THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE AND
I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT IN ONE
PROBABLY CLOSE SO I'M GONNA
LEAVE IT FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE --
CERTAINLY I WOULD ENCOURAGE WHAT
EVER MECHANISM YOU WOULD HAVE TO
TAP INTO THE EXPERTISE OF PEOPLE
WHO CAN BRING FORWARD --
LOTS OF INDEPENDENT OBJECTIVE
INFORMATION TO YOU TO HELP YOU
BECAUSE THE PROCESS OF PROPERTY
TAXATION TODAY AND I SPEAK
PRIMARILY FROM AN ASSESSOR.
IS A VERY COMPLICATED ONE AND IT
DESERVES PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN IT
WHO HAVE A HISTORY WHO HAVE AN
INTEREST WHO HAVE THE TENACITY
AND WANT TO STUDY IT.
AS IF THEY'RE GETTING A
BACHELOR'S OR MASTER'S DEGREE
THAT'S WHAT IT DESERVES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH SIR THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE TODAY IT'S GOOD
TO SEE YOU.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE
FLOOR OVER TO TO REACH TO MAY
REPRESENT THE CALIFORNIA
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION YOUR FIVE
NO LONGER THAN SEVEN MINUTES AND
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MINUTE PROMPT.
WELCOME BACK IT'S GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR THERESA
MAY REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION JUST LAST
MONTH WE CELEBRATED NINETY THREE
YEARS OF EXILE SCHMIDT.
AND DURING THOSE YEARS WE WORK
WITH BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL
LOCAL TAXING AGENCIES OUR GOALS
ARE TO ADVANCE TAX POLICIES THAT
PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOBS
IN CALIFORNIA.
IS TO STREAMLINE TAX
ADMINISTRATION AND TAX
COMPLIANCE BOTH TAXPAYERS.
AND TAX AGENCIES AS WELL AS TO
PROMOTE POLICIES THAT ADVANCE
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCIES AND
PROMOTE OVERSIGHT OF PROGRAMS.
IN THE NINETY THREE YEARS THAT
WE WORKED WITH THE STATE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION BOTH PRE AND
POST.
A B. ONE OH TO YOU FASTER TO US
TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE IMPORTANT
ROLES.
OF THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND
FOR US THERE ARE THREE MAIN
GOALS.
AND THREE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR
CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS.
THE FIRST IS TO INSURE THAT
PROPERTY TAXES ARE ASSESSED
CORRECTLY AND APPROPRIATELY
UNDER THE LAW.
THAT TAXES ARE NOT OVER SAYS NOR
ARE THEY UNDER SAYS.
THAT HIS SON BY THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION COUNTY ASSESSMENT
SURVEYS THAT IS A COUNTY BY
COUNTY INDEPENDENT AUDIT THE
LOOKS AT DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES
LOOKS AT RESIDENTIAL ASSESSMENT
INDUSTRY ASSESSMENTS.
AS WELL AS DIFFERENT TYPES OF
BUSINESS THE ASSESSMENT TO
ENSURE THAT THE COUNTIES AT HERE
TO THE LAW.
THEY STRIVE 41100% A CENT
ASSESSMENT AS OPPOSED TO NINETY
EIGHT UNDER ASSESSMENT OR 11002%
OVER ASSESSMENT.
THE OTHER VERY IMPORTANT
FUNCTION AS MENTIONED BY THE
ASSESSORS AND OTHER PREVIOUS
SPEAKER IS UNIFORMITY WITH FIFTY
EIGHT COUNTIES FIFTY EIGHT
DIFFERENT ASSESSORS.
SOMEWHERE NEW WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WHEN A PERSON MOVES A
RESIDENCE FROM ONE COUNTY TO
ANOTHER.
THERE ARE THE SIMILAR LAWS THAT
APPLY WITH REGARD TO THEIR
PROPERTY ASSESSMENT IN FOR
BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE IN
MULTIPLE COUNTIES THAT THERE ARE
SIMILAR SET OF RULES THAT APPLY
TO HOW THAT PROPERTY IS VALUED
IN THE SIZE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
THE COUNTY HAS PROPERTY
ASSESSMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL
PROPERTY BUT NOT A WHAT IS
CALLED STATUS AS PROPERTIES.
THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES INVEST
THE AUTHORITY WITH THE STATE TO
ASSESS INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CROSS
PROPERTY LINES.
EXAMPLES OF RAILROADS BECAUSE
THE RAILROAD TRACK TRAVELS FROM
FROM COUNTY THROUGH THE OTHER IT
ONLY MAKES SENSE TO HELP THE
STATE ASSESS THAT TAXPAYER AND
ALL OF ITS RAILROAD TRACKS
WITHIN THE STATE.
AS OPPOSED TO HAVING EACH OF THE
FIFTY EIGHT COUNTIES ASSESSED
ONE SEGMENT OF THAT OF THAT
TRACK.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT THE
COMMITTEE HAS ASKED US TO
ADDRESS IS WHETHER OR NOT THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION SHOULD
RETAIN THE RETAINED INTACT
WHETHER OR NOT THOSE FUNCTION
SHOULD BE MOVED TO ANOTHER
AGENCY.
IN IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION WE DO
NOT HAVE ENOUGH DATA IN ORDER TO
EVALUATE THAT AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WHY IS THAT?
THE AGENCY IN THE RESTRUCTURING
HAS ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A
LITTLE BIT OVER NINETEEN MONTHS.
ADDITIONALLY FROM WHAT WE HEAR
THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE THE
SUFFICIENT RESOURCES IN ORDER TO
CARRY OUT ITS STATUTORY
FUNCTIONS.
THE BOARD IS ALSO GOING THROUGH
A TRANSITION PERIOD WITH FOUR
NEW ELECTED MEMBERS THEY'VE JUST
ADOPTED NEW GOVERNANCE POLICIES
TO HELP AVOID SOME OF THE
PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLAGUED
BY THE PREVIOUS BOARD.
AND ALSO THERE'S A NEW CHAIR
THAT HAS A NEW AGENDA HOW TO
DIRECT THE POOR WITH FOUR NEW
MEMBERS OR THREE NEW MEMBERS
HOPING.
TO IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES BUT
HAVE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IN OUR
HISTORY OF WORKING IN THIS AREA.
THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND
HAVING ELECTED BODY TENDS TO
LEND ITSELF TO MORE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ELECTED OFFICIALS SUCH AS
YOURSELF ALSO BRING A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE YOU HAVE AN
AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND CENTER
MORE LUCK HAS AN ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCE BACKGROUND.
SENATOR NIELSEN HAS A PUBLIC
SAFETY BACKGROUND ALL OF THOSE
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE BRING MORE TO
THE TABLE THAN JUST HAVING AN
EMPLOYEE OF THE STATE OR AN
AGENCY DISCUSS THE TECHNICAL
IMPLICATIONS OF THE LAW.
YOU ALSO ASKED US TO TAKE A LOOK
AT RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE YOU
WITH SOME THOUGHTS AND
OBSERVATIONS.
WE HAVE SOME GENERAL
OBSERVATIONS AND THAT IS.
IF THE LEGISLATURE WERE TO
CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
WE ASK THAT THE PROGRAMS WITHIN
THE B. O. E. BE TRANSFERRED
INTACT BUT THE PROGRAMS NOT BE
BROKEN UP IN SEGMENT INTO
DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
THE SECOND IS WE ASK THAT THE
NOTICE ON ANY INFORMATION BE
PROVIDED TO TAXPAYERS IN ADVANCE.
TO MITIGATE ANY DISRUPTION IN
COMPLIANCE DURING THE TRANSITION
PROCESS.
AND ALSO FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO
CONSIDER SOME KIND OF
TRANSITIONAL SAFE HAVEN SO THAT
TAXPAYERS NOT PENALIZED IF THEY
MISSED DEADLINES BECAUSE THERE'S
A NEW MAILING ADDRESS OR THERE'S
A NEW CHANGE IN POLICY PROCEDURE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THREE VERY
IMPORTANT SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER.
THE FIRST IS THAT STATE ASSESSED
REMAIN CENTRALIZED AT THE STATE
LEVEL.
NOT ONCE AGAINST GOES TO
POLICIES THAT ASSESS.
THESE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES SUCH
AS RAILROADS UTILITIES AND
TELECOMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE
CABLES AND WROTE TRACKS THAT RUN
ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT.
COUNTIES CENTRALIZATION WAS
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT ONE
ENTITY CAN PROVIDE GREATER
UNIFORMITY.
AND THAT'S VER IMPORTANT FOR
AFTER STATES CAN YOU IMAGINE A
FLOCK TRICITY ONE OUT.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF A RAILROAD
STOP WORKING AND NOT ABLE TO
TRANSPORT GOODS OUR
TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS WERE
UNABLE TO WORK BECAUSE OF
DIFFERENT ASSESSMENT ROLLS AND
THERE IS A POSSIBLE LEAD DATE AS
WELL WORD THE ASSESSMENT HAS TO
BE DONE BY A CERTAIN TIME IN
ORDER.
TO EVALUATE AS THAT THOSE
PROPERTIES.
THE SECOND IS TO CONTINUE THE
REGULATORY GUIDANCE AT THE STATE
CURRENTLY PROVIDES TO THE
ASSESSOR.
THAT PROMOTES UNIFORMITY BUT
ALSO HELPS TO AVOID COSTLY
LITIGATION BETWEEN TAXPAYERS AS
WELL AS COUNTY ASSESSORS.
AND WE ALSO ASK THE LEGISLATURE
TO CONSIDER HAVING THE BILL WE
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING --
IN SUPPORT OF THE ASSESSORS
NEWLY ELECTED ASSESSORS HAVE THE
CA BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THERE CAN
BE SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING
SUPPORT THAT THE STATE CAN
PROVIDE TO THESE ASSESSORS.
IT'S A VERY BIG COMPLEX AREA.
AND IT'S AN AREA WHERE IT LAST
YEAR IN A VOTE ME SOME NEW
ASSESSORS --
SENT SOME ILLEGAL THREATENING
LETTERS TO TAXPAYERS OF
THREATENING IMPRISONMENT IF
TAXPAYERS DID NOT PROVIDES
QUESTIONNAIRES. TO THE CAA'S
CREDIT THEY DID POLICE AND THEY
DID CORRECT THOSE ACTIONS BUT I
THINK THAT JUST DEMONSTRATES THE
FACT THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL
TRAINING AND NATIONAL WORK THAT
CAN.
BE MITIGATED AND CAN BE
INCREASED BETWEEN THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION AND THE ASSESSORS.
AND WITH THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH VERY VERY
GRATEFUL MR MAY --
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
PROVIDED VERY HELPFUL I AM WE'LL
BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND
THANK YOU FOR TAKING SO MUCH
TIME TO GET A PART FOR THIS AND
I TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS
FAR AS WHERE WE WANT YOU. TO GO
SO VERY GRATEFUL AND NEXT UP IS
ALWAYS.
WE NOW WOULD LIKE ME TO TURN THE
FLOOR OVER TO SAMANTHA CORBIN
SHE'S REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA TAX REFORM
ASSOCIATION.
CORBIN WELCOME BACK TO COMMITTEE
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE YOU GO
FIVE NO MORE THAN SEVEN MINUTES
AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MINUTE
PROMPT.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME --
I STATED MY NAME SAMANTHA CORBIN
I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA TAX REFORM
ASSOCIATION THE PRIMARY GOAL OF
SEE TERRY IS THE DEVELOPMENT AND
MAINTENANCEOF THE STATE TAX
SYSTEM THAT IS PROGRESSIVE
ELASTIC AND EQUITABLE FOR
CALIFORNIANS.
OR BOARD IS COMPRISED PRIMARILY
A SOME OF THE LARGEST LABOR
UNIONS IN THE STATE.
HE TERRY HAS WORKED REGULARLY
WITH THE BE --
WE SINCE THE NINETEEN EIGHTIES --
FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF PROP
THIRTEEN WHICH HAPPENS TO
COINCIDE WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S
BIRTH --
SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN WE'VE
HAD EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING
WITH THE BOARD ON A WIDE RANGE
OF ISSUES.
INCLUDING THOSE THAT USED TO BE
UNDER THEIR PURVIEW AS WELL AS
OF COURSE PROPERTY TAX WHICH
REMAINS UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION
TO DATE.
THERE'S YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ONE
THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR C.
T. OR A AND HAS BEEN SINCE THE
ORGANIZATION'S INCEPTION AND
BACKED AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED
TODAY --
WERE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
PROPERTY TAX REFORM MEASURE
CURRENTLY ON THE TWENTY TWENTY
BALLOT A AND ARE QUITE AWARE AND
I'M I'M A BELIEVER THE POINT OF
OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF HOW
THAT THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED
IF PASSED.
BY GIVEN POTENTIAL CHANGES TO
THE B. O. E..
AS CONTROLLER HE INDICATED THIS
CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY
IS NOT A NEW ONE I BELIEVE THE
FIRST CALLS FOR DISBANDING THE
PO WE ACTUALLY BEGAN RIGHT AFTER
IT WAS FORMED IN ABOUT.
NINETY EIGHTEEN SEVENTY NINE BUT
SINCE NINETEEN FORTY THREE THE
LEGISLATURE'S BUDGET ADVISER
EVEN HAS RECOMMENDED GETTING RID
OF IT ENTIRELY --
UNFORTUNATELY AND THIS HAS BEEN
WELL DOCUMENTED AND AND IT I
HOPE THE GENTLEMAN HAD MENTIONED
EARLIER THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL IN
NATURE THE BEER WE AS LONG BEEN
A SOURCE OF NEPOTISM SCANDAL AND
AND EFFICIENCY FOR REALLY
GENERATIONS --
THE JURY'S LONG BEEN CRITICAL OF
THE ADJUDICATORY FUNCTION OF THE
BEER WE BOTH ITS BASIC STRUCTURE
AND HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED --
THIS LEGISLATION HAS SUPPORTED
AND TO THAT END WE WERE VERY
ACTIVE IN SUPPORTING AND WORKED
DILIGENTLY TO PASS A B. ONE OH
TWO IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE
CYCLE -- OF
COURSE THAT MEASURE COULD ONLY
GO SO FAR GIVEN THE
CONSTITUTIONAL NATURE OF THE
BOARDS ELECTED POSITIONS AND
THUS WE ARE HERE TODAY --
THERE ARE SOME WHO WOULD SUGGEST
THAT THE BE A WE NO LONGER HAS
FUNCTION OR PURPOSE IN FACT I
CAN TELL YOU MUCH TO MY
TERRIFYING DISMAY I WAS WATCHING
ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND TWITTER IN
OTHER PLACES AS EVEN HIGH LEVEL --
DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN PARTY
OFFICIALS WERE SUGGESTING WHO TO
VOTE FOR IN THE UPCOMING
ELECTION CYCLE AND SOME SENSE
SAID SIMPLY LEAVE THE BE --
WE BLANK THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING
ANYWAY --
HOWEVER I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE
ARE STILL SOME VERY CRITICAL
FUNCTIONS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE
FATE OF AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED
BOARD OR STRUCTURE MUST BE
PRESERVED --
I THINK THE NUMBER MENTION WAS
FIVE POINT SEVEN TRILLION IN
PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS WITH
OVER SIXTY BILLION OF THAT GOING
TO THE GENERAL FUND A YEAR --
I'VE BEEN AROUND DOING ERROR OF
THAT -- IS
FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT FOR THE WORK
OF THIS BODY --
SO REGARDLESS WE BELIEVE THAT
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD MUST
BE PRESERVED THE FUNCTIONS OF
THE AGENCY MUST BE PRESERVED AND
IN PARTICULAR THE COUPLE HUNDRED
DEDICATED CIVIL SERVANTS.
WHO WORK ON THESE ISSUES SHOULD
BE PRESERVED AND NOT FORGOTTEN
AS THESE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE --
TO SENATOR BELLS COMMENTS
EARLIER MADE REGARDING THE GAS
TAX VOTE I THINK THAT'S A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF EVEN WITH THE
REDUCTION IN THE SCOPE OF
RESPONSIBILITIES THE POTENTIAL
OF A POLITICAL AN ELECTED BOARD.
TO FRANKLY LEGISLATE FROM THE
BENCH SO TO SPEAK END OF TAXES
AND UNITS EARLY IN APPROACH AS
CONTROL SO NOTED CALIFORNIA'S
UNIQUE AND POSSESSING AN ELECTED
BOARD FOR THIS PURPOSE.
AT EIGHTY ONE OH TWO WAS IN
LARGE PART NECESSARY AS A RESULT
OF THE B. ALWAYS FAILURE AS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY ONE THAT
IS SUBJECT TO POLITICAL NUMERIC
MANEUVERING RATHER THAN A
STRAIGHTFORWARD ADMINISTRATION.
STATUS AS PROPERTY FUNCTION IN
PARTICULAR SHOULD LIKE ALL OTHER
FORMS OF ADJUDICATION BE NON
POLITICAL UNFORTUNATELY AND
REPEATEDLY THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS
BEEN THE CASE.
OVER THE YEARS THIS HAS RESULTED
IN DECISION MAKING BY SOME
MEMBERS AND OR IT RATIONS OF THE
BOARD THAT HAS BEEN FAR MORE
RESPONSIVE TO INDUSTRY THAN TO
COUNTY ASSESSOR'S BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND EVERYDAY
CALIFORNIANS.
IN FACT OVER THE YEARS MUCH OF
C. TERRY'S WORK WITH THE BEER WE
HAS CENTERED AROUND MITIGATING
FOR THE OVER PUT OVER
POLITICIZATION OF THAT AGENCY IS
ADJUDICATORY ROLE.
SPECIFICALLY WE'VE SEEN THE BEER
WE UNDER ASSESS THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY IN
PARTICULAR WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO IN FOR
SALES TAX COLLECTION WITH ONLINE
RETAILERS SUCH AS AMAZON SINCE
THE LATE NINETIES --
THESE FACTS BECOME EVEN MORE
ALARMING WHEN YOU COMPARE THE
EXPERTISE AND CAPACITY TO THE
BOARD TO A TIP TYPICAL COUNTY
ASSESSMENT APPEALS BOARD.
CERTAINLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS --
ARE ELECTED AS WELL BUT THERE IS
A HUGE DISCREPANCY IN THE NUMBER
OF TRAINING --
EXPERTISE AND I THINK THERE WERE
OTHER COMMENTS I WON'T REITERATE
THAT RELATED TO SOME OF THE THE
BELT AND SUSPENDERS THAT ENSURE
THAT THESE BODIES OPERATE IN A
WAY THAT IS AN ETHICAL AND
EFFICIENT --
ABSENT A DECISION MAKING BOARD
WITH --
VERIFIABLY APPROPRIATE
BACKGROUND AND TAX
ADMINISTRATION AND IT DID
ADJUDICATION AND NO POLITICAL
MANAGEMENT EXCUSE ME MOTIVATION
HOW CAN TAXPAYERS BE ASSURED
THAT THE DECISIONS OF THE BOARD
WILL BE NOTED BY APPROPRIATE
FACTORS.
AND ARE NOT WRONGLY INCENTIVIZED
CURRENTLY UNDER THE CURRENT
MODEL THEY CANNOT.
WIN WRONGLY MINDED OR MOTIVATED
DECISION MAKING DOES OCCUR AND
THERE IS NO REASON EVEN UNDER A
NEW BOARD TWO I BELIEVE THAT
THIS COULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN IT IS
IN FACT THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY
THAT IS LEFT TO CLEAN UP THE
BASS AND IT IS TAXPAYERS WHO PAY
THE PRICE.
OF COURSE AS I MENTIONED THERE
KEEP FUNCTIONS THAT ARE WE WOULD
WANT TO INSURE ARE PRESERVED --
AND SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THIS
BODY TO INSURE ANY LEGISLATIVE.
REFORM EFFORTS WERE
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM EFFORTS
PRESERVE THOSE FUNCTIONS
EXISTING STATE JOBS AND ASSURE
APPROPRIATE MECHANISMS FOR
TAXPAYERS TO TAXPAYERS TO ACCESS
INFORMATION AND SERVICES AS
NEEDED --
AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE DON'T
OFTEN AGREE ON A LOT MY
COLLEAGUE NEXT TO AN AT NEXT TO
ME AND A CITY OR A BUT WE DO
APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFUL
SUGGESTIONS AND AGAIN WE JUST
WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS BODY
AS YOU DELIBERATE.
CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF
SORT OF TRANSFERRING POWER
SHOULD THAT IN FACT OCCUR.
THIS COMMENT THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR WORDS TODAY PRETTY
GRATEFUL THANKS FOR BEING HERE
WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO BE TO OPEN
UP TO THE COMMITTEE. FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I HAVE A
JUST A COUPLE BUT WOULD LIKE TO
GO TO SEE IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE
FOR OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL.
TWENTY NINE WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO ASK --
ET YOU NEED YOU CAN KEEP YOUR
RESPONSE TO BATMAN AND A HALF --
TO TWO IS AN INDEPENDENTLY
ELECTED BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
STILL NECESSARY IN CALIFORNIA --
WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF
THAT WERE TO BE.
DISSOLVED IT EITHER BE STAND
ALONE AGENCY OR ABSORB OUT
WITHIN ANOTHER.
AND IF YOU DO THINK THAT IT
COULD BE ABSORBED ARE THERE ANY
AGENCIES YOU BELIEVE ARE WELL
SUITED.
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WHO'D
LIKE TO KICK US OFF.
IN AND NO NEED TO RUSH
[inaudible]
THANK YOU.
I THINK THE QUESTION ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THE B. O. E. I
STILL NEEDS TO BE ELECTED IS.
PERHAPS SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT
TO TALK TO YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS
ABOUT.
I'D IS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF
THIS CONVERSATION I'VE BEEN
TALKING TO MY CONSTITUENTS
LOCALLY --
AND WHILE CALAVERAS DOES NOT.
IS NOT THE TAIL THAT WAGS THE
DOG OF CALIFORNIA --
THEY'RE STILL VOTERS THEY STILL
HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY
THINK.
I SHOULD HAPPEN WITH AN ELECTED
BODY AND THEY DO NOT.
UNANIMOUSLY THUS FAR THOSE I'VE
TALKED.
TO I DO NOT SEE A REASON TO
REMOVE THE ELECTIVE.
LEVEL OF THE BOP --
SOME HAVE HAVE USED WORDS LIKE
POWER GRAB.
OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THEY
KEEP THERE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS
ACCOUNTABLE.
HI IN THE ABSENCE OF YOU THE
LEGISLATURE HOLDING THEM
ACCOUNTABLE USING WHATEVER.
OF RULES OR REGULATIONS YOU HAVE
AVAILABLE TO YOU.
HI IF HOWEVER THE STATE WERE TO
GO THAT WAY --
YOUR FOLLOW UP QUESTION WAS I
SHOULD IT BE A STANDALONE AGENCY
OR ABSORPTION IF ABSORBED WHERE.
I HAPPEN TO SIT ON THE STATE
CONTROLLER'S COMMITTEE ON
PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION
PROCEDURES I WAS APPOINTED.
BY THEN CONTROLLER JOHN CHONG
HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY A BETTY.
I REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST
COMMENTS MADE TO ME BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY TREASURERS
AND TAX COLLECTORS AND WHAT HE
SAID WAS.
THE TAX COLLECTORS ARE JEALOUS
OF THE ASSESSORS RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
JEALOUS BECAUSE WE HAD A UNIQUE
RELATIONSHIP WE WORKED WELL AND
HAD OVERSIGHT THAT WAS BASED ON
RESPECT.
THE TAX COLLECTORS ARE OVERSEEN
BY THE STATE CONTROLLER AS IS
THE AUDITORS AUDITOR CONTROLLERS.
FOR THE COUNTY SO THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WAS WITH AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL A SINGLE ELECTED
OFFICIAL.
AS I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT
OVER THE YEARS AND IT'S BEEN
ABOUT SIX YEARS SINCE I FIRST
HEARD THAT COMMENT.
I REALLY DON'T SEE ANOTHER
AGENCY WHERE ASSESSORS MIGHT
[inaudible]
CONSIDER THESE TASKS RELATED SO
I DON'T SEE STATE CONTROLLER AT
BEING RELATED I DON'T SEE
FINANCE CERTAINLY NOT THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OR SECRETARY OF
STATE.
I WOULD ECHO SOME OF THE
COMMENTS YOU HEARD EARLIER --
THAT I WOULD I WOULD QUESTION
PUTTING OR ABSORBING THESE TASKS
IN AN AGENCY THAT WITH A
BUREAUCRATIC APPOINTMENTS IF YOU
WILL.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD
NEED THANK YOU SO MUCH HAVE
STANDALONE.
AND REMAIN INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED
AT SWEAR MY CONSTITUENTS ARE
TALKING TO ME ABOUT I AM
IMPRESSED BECAUSE BOOKS YOU HAVE
NO IDEA WHY AND LET ALONE BORDER
LEGALIZATION SO --
CALAVERAS IS ALL OVER IT SO AT
LEAST -- I'M
I'M IMPRESSED THANK YOU SO MUCH
A LOT ABOUT RETAIN OF IT REALLY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BETTER
PRESIDENT.
THIS TO ME.
THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR --
IN OUR OPINION BASED ON OUR WORK
WITH THE TAX PAYERS.
AN ELECTED BODY REALLY DOES LEND
ITSELF MORE TO TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY --
YOU KNOW AS WE INDICATED EARLIER
THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF ALL OF
YOU COMING FROM YOUR DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS.
REALLY HELPS HELLO YOU KNOW AS A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER ALSO REALLY
HELPS.
UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES AND
CHALLENGES THAT TAXPAYER MAY
HAVE TO COMPLY WITH DIFFERENT
LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND ONLY AT
THE STATE LEVEL OR TAX AGENCY.
BUT THE DIFFERENT LOCAL
REGULATIONS THAT ALSO HAVE.
TO BE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AND
COMPLY WITH RANDOM BEING.
A NORMAL TAXPAYER --
IT IN TERMS OF THE ELECTED BODY
YOU KNOW WHAT WE'VE SEEN
TYPICALLY IS IF THERE IS
WRONGDOING ON THE PART OF AN
OFFICIAL OR OFFICIALS.
TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT
OFFICIAL IS DISCIPLINED.
AND THAT OFFICIALS NO LONGER
ELECTED WE DON'T SEE TOO OFTEN
THE ABOLISHMENT OF AN ENTIRE
STATE AGENCY BECAUSE OF THE
WRONG DOINGS OF A HANDFUL FEW.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS.
THE MORE CHANGES TO THE TAXING
STRUCTURE.
OF THE POTENTIAL FOR GREATER
COMPLICATIONS THAT COULD RESULT
IN INCREASED TAXPAYER CONFUSION.
AND ALSO INCREASING THE
COMPLEXITY FOR THE TAXPAYER TO
IN ORDER TO FIRE THE REPORTS
THAT THEY NEED TO IN ORDER TO
PAY THE TAXES AND ESSENTIALLY
COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
NOW AS YOUR QUESTION WHETHER OR
NOT IT CAN BE AN INDEPENDENT
ENTITY.
OR FOLDED I THINK OUR
OBSERVATIONS ARE THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR THOSE FUNCTIONS TO
BE.
INTACT WHETHER IT'S TRANSFERRED
OR AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY AND THE
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY BUT
ESPECIALLY THE EXPERTISE OF THE
STAFF -- AND
SPEAKING PRIMARILY TO THE STATE
ASSESS PROPERTIES DIVISION
EXPERTISE AND STAFF NEED TO BE
TRANSFERRED AND ONCE AGAIN
TRANSFERRED INTACT AS A PROGRAM.
THAT NOT BROKEN UP IN SEGREGATED
INTO DIFFERENT SO MUCH SO OPTION
A WOULD REMAIN INDEPENDENTLY
ELECTED.
AND THEN IF --
AGAIN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
RIGHT SO THIS IS MORE ON JUST
YOUR AT GOT AT THIS POINT.
INDEPENDENT ELECTED AND THEN BE
IF THERE WAS A GIRL IN THE PAIN
LIKE DID THEY NEED TO BE A
STANDALONE.
OR TRANSFERRED AS A UNIT YES YES
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ME
[inaudible]
BENTON.
THANK YOU MISTER KERR --
I THINK I WOULD HAVE --
TO LOOK AND SAY I DON'T THINK IT
STILL NEEDS TO BE ELECTED ON ALL
EXPLAIN WHY.
AND I DO THINK THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD STRUCTURE
FOR ACCESS AND ADVOCACY I THINK
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD
IT SMARTLY.
I THINK IN REGARD TO MY COMMENT
ABOUT WHY THERE MIGHT BE
CORRUPTION ELECTED APPOINTED OR
WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE
PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WERE JUST MERE
MORTALS SO I MEAN WE CAN'T
REALLY LOOK TO EACH OTHER AND
SAY YOU KNOW.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE PERFECTION WITH
THE ELECTED OR NOT IT WE ALL
COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
BUT IN TERMS OF THAT STRUCTURAL
OPPORTUNITY I THINK THE THINGS
THAT COME TOGETHER WITH
NECESSARILY A NON ELECTED OR
WHAT BUT IS THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP
STANDARDS EASIER.
WE'RE NO LONGER EQUALIZING
THERE'S A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR
JERSEY DISTRICT FOR DISTRIBUTION
OF SKILL SETS THERE'S A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT
RESOURCES YOU NEED THERE'S A
BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP
CONFIDENCE.
LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLANNING
LONG TERM PROGRAMMING.
FOCUS ON EFFICIENCIES
QUALIFICATIONS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ALL THOSE THINGS
IN MY OPINION GET VERY STRONG
WITH THE ABILITY TO MANAGE THAT
IN SOME FASHION AND WITH REGARD
TO WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE A
STAND ALONE OR NOT.
I THINK YOU'VE.
YOU MAY EVEN BE BOXING YOURSELF
IN THERE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO LOOK
AT AND SAY WELL MAYBE WE DON'T
HAVE TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME
WHETHER IT'S A STANDALONE OR
ELECTED.
MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S
HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT
COMES IN THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE
DIFFERENT AGENCIES OR INCLUDING
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF I WAS LOOKING
AT THIS I WOULD LOOK EVEN WITHIN
THE FRAMEWORK OF IT HAS TO BE --
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER I THINK THIS
OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS BENSON SO --
IN A PARAPHRASE HERE.
YOUR BELIEVE NO LONGER NEED AN
ELECTED BOARD AND TO BE
DETERMINED ON WHAT A STRUCTURE
WOULD LOOK LIKE --
IN HOW THAT --
ORG CHART WOULD BE.
IF THE MOVE AWAY FROM ELECTED
AND IT COULD BE INDEPENDENT IT
COULD BE WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES
TO BE DETERMINED YES THANK YOU
SO MUCH PRAY.
FOR CORPORATE AND THEN ALL AT
BRIEFLY TO THAT THANK YOU MISTER
CHAIR I YOU KNOW I I WOULD
pAFFILIATE MYSELF WITH A NUMBER
OF MR BENTSEN'S COMMENTS I
CERTAINLY.
WE DON'T FEEL THAT THERE IS A
NECESSITY FOR AN ELECTED BOARD
PER SE --
BUT REGARDLESS THERE IS A
DEFINITE NEED --
TO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER PUTS
SOME BELTS AND SUSPENDERS ON
THIS AND AND REALLY YOU KNOW YOU
YOU DON'T SOME PEOPLE OUT A CAR
WITHOUT AN AIRBAG AND AND SO IT
IS INADEQUATE AT THIS POINT.
GIVEN THE CYCLE AND HISTORICAL
NATURE OF THE OCCASION AND AND
OTHER THINGS GOING ON AT THE BE
A WEEK TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE
IMPROVE UPON THIS I THINK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FLEMING SPOKE
VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT THE
EXPERTISE AND THE STAFF.
ON FORMERLY APPEAL WE CURRENTLY
ABELIAN NOW IT CD TFA --
CERTAINLY I'M IN NO POSITION NOR
DOES SEE JERRY HAVE A POSITION.
ON SPECIFICALLY HOW WOULD
TRANSFER COULD OR SHOULD LOOK --
BUT EXAMINING THE HUMAN CAPITAL
THAT DOES EXIST BETWEEN CD TFA
FOLKS WHO PREVIOUSLY WERE AT THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION HOW THOSE
FUNCTIONS INTERSECT --
AND HOW THAT COULD PERHAPS MORE
ARTFULLY BE DONE I KNOW THAT WE
ARE NOT.
IN A RUSH TO PUSH FORWARD ONE OH
TWO AND IMPLEMENTED AS AND IT
CERTAINLY WAS RUSHED IN AND IN A
VERY.
IT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN A VERY
QUICK TURNAROUND AS IN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MENTIONED --
SO IT WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU
AND AND THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY TO
BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THOSE AND
AND REALLY --
YOU KNOW EVEN FOR OUR PURPOSES
HOW DO WE LOOK AT AND
INVESTIGATE WHAT IS THE HUMAN
CAPITAL WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO
ENSURE TAXPAYERS CAN GET ACCESS
TO INFORMATION --
AND AND SO THAT THE WORK CAN
CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD BUT THAT
WE CAN REALLY FINALLY PUT TO BED
THE ISSUE OF CORRUPTION WITHIN
AN ELECTED BOARD --
HOWEVER THAT IS ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS CORBIN
THAT IS WHAT WE CALL A LITTLE
FASHION TO TO TIE --
FROM THOSE WHO ARE FOCUSED ON
THE DAY TO DAY.
BUSINESS OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION BUT WHAT I THINK WE
DID HEAR UNANIMOUSLY WHATEVER
THE NEXT STEPS MAY BE.
YOU HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL OUT
YET THE CLASS MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL SIDES.
TO MAKE IT WORK I WOULD THAT BE
A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
ALL RIGHT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
A PANEL AND BEEN VERY GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR TIME THANK YOU FOR YOUR
POINT ASSESSMENT AS WELL THANK
YOU.
PLACE IN GENERAL WE'RE NOW GOING
TO BE OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT WE'RE GOING TO ASK.
EACH INDIVIDUAL WOULD LIKE TO BE
TO SPEAK IF YOU COULD PLEASE
COME THIS MICROPHONE.
EACH MEMBER THE PUBLIC WILL BE
GIVEN TWO MINUTES IF YOU DON'T
MIND GIVING US YOUR FIRST AND
LAST IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE
GOOD AFTERNOON MISTER MEMBER --
SHARED --
ALSO AND MCGUIRE MY NAME IS
JOHAN CLASE FOR THE RECORD --
BY SIR FOR FOURTEEN YEARS AS A
MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE EIGHT YEARS AS CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION.
I REMEMBER THE FRANCHISE TAX
BOARD I'D LIKE TO JUST PROVIDE A
BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE --
FOR YOUR BENEFIT --
WHEN WE WERE ELECTED TO THE BOY
RESIGNED?
IN DISGRACE ONE WAS A BOARD
MEMBER WHO HAD BEEN CONVICTED IN
THE FEDERAL COURTS OF CRIMES
THAT HE HAD COMMITTED IN THE
STATE SENATE.
AND THE OTHER WAS MY DIRECT
PREDECESSOR OF MY DISTRICT --
A PERSON WHO HAD TO RESIGN
BECAUSE HE CHEATED.
ON HIS PER DIEM AND SO WE WERE
UNDER THE SAME SCRUTINY THAT
THIS BOARD TODAY YEAH THE NEW
BORDERS UNDER.
AND I'M RECOMMENDING TO THIS
COMMITTEE THAT WE GIVE THIS NEW
BOARD A CHANCE TO PROVE
THEMSELVES AS ELECTED
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE BOARD --
WE REALLY EMBARKED ON A
MODERNIZATION PROCESS WE WERE
THE FIRST PUBLIC AGENCY TO
CREATE A CUSTOMER SERVICES
DIVISION.
THE FIRST PUBLIC AGENCY IN
CALIFORNIA TO GO ON THE INTERNET
WE CREATED AN EIGHT HUNDRED
TELEPHONE NUMBER WERE A
TAXPAYERS COULD CALL IN WEIGHT
LESS THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF.
TO SPEAK TO A LIVE HUMAN BEING.
WE ALSO --
DECIDED TO STREAMLINE THE
HEARINGS AT THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION WHERE THERE ARE NOW
TIME LIMITS FOR EACH SIDE --
WE USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO
ELIMINATE THE ENTIRE CASE BACK
LOAD -- WE
KEPT A PUBLISHED RECORD OF OUR
CASE LOAD EACH YEAR AND PROVIDED
IT TO THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THAT CASE SLOW REFLECTED
ABOUT THIRTY TWO THOUSAND
DISPUTES A YEAR.
THEN MORPHED INTO ABOUT THIRTY
TWO HUNDRED TAX CASES INCLUDING
ASSESSMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC
UTILITIES IN CALIFORNIA.
THE THIRTY SECONDS OF THOSE CASE --
EVER APPEALED TO THE COURTS AND
WE LOST LESS THAN SEVEN OF THOSE
CASES SO MY QUESTION.
TO THE COMMITTEE IS.
WAS IT REALLY A SMART IDEA TO GO
TAX AGENCIES SHOULD THERE BE
ELECTED OVERSIGHT ABSOLUTELY
CALIFORNIA HAS A HISTORY OF
TAXATION WITH REPRESENTATION.
THERE ARE ELECTED COUNTY TAX
ASSESSOR'S ELECTED TREASURER TAX --
A COLLECTORS THERE SHOULD BE AN
ELECTED BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
AND EVERY JUDGE IN THIS STATE IS
ELECTED MANY OF WHO HERE TAX
CASES.
AFTER THEY MIGHT LEAVE THE
CURRENT OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS
WHERE THE FORMER BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION SO IT'S SORT OF I'D
BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THIS
COMMITTEE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY --
TO WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE
FUTURE OF THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION --
MAY I POINT OUT A COUPLE OF
OTHER QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK
FOR THE OFFICER CLOSER WE WOULD
HAVE TO WRAP UP WITH OTHER FOLKS
BY -- IF YOU
CAN DO IN THIRTY SECONDS I WILL
DO IN THIRTY SECONDS FIRST OF
ALL YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT
THE OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS TO SEE.
ARE THEY ADJUDICATING CASES AS
FAST AS THE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION DID OR AT A SLOWER
PACE.
HAD THEY CLEANED UP A CASE
BACKLOG.
HAS THE FACT THAT NOW --
MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO USE
ATTORNEYS TO APPEAR BEFORE THE
OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS HAS THAT
CUT OUT SMALLER BUSINESSES AND
SMALLER TAXPAYERS.
WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE AND BE
REPRESENTED AT THE OFFICE OF TAX
APPEALS AND FINALLY ONE OF THESE
AGENCIES DOING NOW IN TERMS OF
GOING AFTER THE UNDERGROUND
ECONOMY WHERE THERE ARE A LARGE
SECTORS OF EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA?
WERE BEING PAID IN CASH WHEN WE
WOULD GO AFTER THEM AND MAKE
SURE THEY WERE BEING PAID ON
LEGITIMATE PAYROLLS THANK YOU
VERY MUCH HE SO MUCH AS
REMEMBERED THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
GOOD MORNING SIR.
GOOD MORNING THANK YOU --
COMMITTEE I I JUST BRIEFLY WANT
TO SPEAK FOR SOMEBODY THAT
HASN'T SPOKEN SO FAR THIS
MORNING THAT'S THE TAXPAYERS OF
CALIFORNIA DO YOU SEE YOURSELF
SIR I'M SORRY I'M SORRY MY NAME
IS ERNIE DREIBERG I'M.
LEGENDARY SO I THOUGHT YOU KNEW
ME.
I I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU SIR
MORE I AGREE WITH YOU.
I SPENT TWENTY YEARS AS A MEMBER
AND FIVE TIMES CHAIR OF THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION I WAS ON
THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD FIVE
DIFFERENT TIMES I WAS THE ONLY
PERSON WHAT DID.
TAKE CARE BOTH BOARDS.
AND I'VE SERVED WITH SEVERAL
PEOPLE THAT BEEN HERE THIS
MORNING.
BUT I ALSO WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS BILL OF
RIGHTS WHICH REPRESENTS THE
TAXPAYERS AND THAT'S THE PEOPLE
THAT I THINK HAVEN'T SPOKEN HERE
THEY SPOKE TO YOU.
IN THE SEVERAL YEARS BACK WHEN
THEY SAID WE WANT OUR TAX
ASSESSORS TO BE ELECTED SO WE'RE
GOING TO PUT IT IN THE
CONSTITUTION.
IT WASN'T EVEN A CLOSEVOTE THEY
GOT OVER 60% THAT SAID WE WANT
OUR TAX ASSESSORS TO BE.
ELECTED.
SO IF YOU'RE ASKING SHOULD THEY
BE ELECTED THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA FERRARI SPOKEN TO
THAT QUESTION AND THEY USE THE
ANIMAL THE UNANIMOUS BUT BUT THE
MAJORITY OF 60% SAID YES.
I LACKED THE TAXPAYERS.
I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY THE
UNITED STATES AS A NET.
PRESIDENT OF THE FTA I WAS TWICE
WESTERN REGIONAL PRESIDENT I
KNOW TAX ADMINISTRATION THROUGH
THESE PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES.
EVERYBODY'S BEEN SAYING THERE'S
ONLY ONE ELECTED BOARD BUT THERE
ARE ELECTED TAX OFFICIALS IN
OTHER STATES TO RUN THEIR STATES.
QUICKLY NORTH KERR NORTH DAKOTA
AND MARIJUANA TO BUT TEXAS ALSO
HAVE ELECTED TAX OFFICIALS.
THE COLUMN CONTROLLERS.
THE SECOND SIR.
WELL I'VE GOT ONLY THREE SECONDS
FOR ALL THESE MORE PEELS.
OB PEARLS OF WISDOM THAT I WON
BUT I WANT TO CORRECT THAT FOR
THE RECORD.
AND I'D ALSO SAY THAT THE THE
LEGISLATION HAD ALL KINDS OF
CONTROLS THAT THEY PUT ON THE
BOARD IS SEPARATION THAT THEY
PUT ON THE MEMBERS FROM THE
AGENCY.
IN THE TWENTY YEARS I WAS ON THE
BOARD THAT ENDED IN.
NINETY NINE WE NEVER HAD THOSE
AND WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM.
BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE
DIFFERENT TIMES I THINK YOU
OUGHT TO GIVE THE CURRENT BOARD
A CHANCE. TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF
BOARD THEY WORK THANK YOU.
THIS IS ESTHER THANK YOU SO MUCH
ALSO I SAY THINK IF YOU'RE
WORKING EXCUSE ME SAN DIEGO
COUNTY IN YES YOU ARE A LEGEND
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH SIR NICE
OUT.
THANK YOU AT LEAST IN MY MIND
AND NOW YOU'RE GOOD.
WHAT SAY YOU TO BRING THE
SUNSHINE THOUGH TODAY?
YEAH GOOD AFTERNOON THREE OF TWO
MINUTES WELCOME YES HOW DO I
FOLLOW THAT I DON'T KNOW --
MY NAME IS MARTY TWO CATS AND
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY.
I AM HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE OF TAXPAYER
ADVOCATES WHICH IS AN
ORGANIZATION OF PROPERTY TAX
CONSULTANTS AT THE STATE AND
LOCAL LEVEL WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CALIFORNIA
PROPERTY TAXPAYERS.
THERE ARE THREE POINTS I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE VERY QUICK.
FIRST ACCESS TO ELECTED
OFFICIALS IS KEY.
IS KEY ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO RETAIN COUNSEL.
I PERSONALLY WORKED FOR TWO
DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION AND I CAN THINK
OF NUMEROUS EXAMPLES.
WE'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OR AN
INDIVIDUAL HAS REACHED OUT TO
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OFFICE
DIRECTLY AND WE WERE ABLE TO
HELP.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SECOND POINT AS WE'VE HEARD
PROPERTY TAX IS CALIFORNIA'S
SECOND LARGEST REVENUE STREAM
NEARLY A QUARTER A PROPERTY TAX
DOLLARS GO TO SCHOOLS AND
ELECTED PO WE OVERSEAS THE FIFTY
EIGHT COUNTIES.
THAT ASSESS AND COLLECT THIS
REVENUE YOU WANT PUBLICLY
ELECTED OFFICIALS OVERSEEING
THESE REVENUES.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT NOT AN
ORGANIZATION LIKE THE DMV THE
BEER WE PROVIDE THIS OVERSIGHT
THROUGH PROPERTY TAX REGULATIONS
GUIDANCE AND AUDITS.
OF THE FIFTY EIGHT COUNTIES
SENSORS OFFICES AND THIS ELECTED
OVERSIGHT IS SO CRITICAL IS ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHECKS AND
BALANCES THAT WE HAVE TAXPAYERS
HAVE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
IT PROTECTS NOT JUST DATA SAYS
COMPANIES PUBLIC UTILITIES BUT
ALL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS
HOMEOWNERS SMALL BUSINESSES ALL
OF THEM ACROSS THE BOARD.
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THE ELECTED
STATE CONTROLLER IN CALIFORNIA
HAS OVERSIGHT OVER THE COUNTY
TAX COLLECTOR'S IS WE'VE HEARD
THE ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS
OVERSIGHT OVER THE DA'S IN THE
SHERIFF'S.
SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT BY THE
SAME TOKEN AN ELECTED TAX BOARD
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION HAVE
OVERSIGHT AND COLLABORATE WITH
THE ASSESSORS.
MY THIRD AND FINAL POINT IT IS
IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS
COLLABORATION WITH THE
CALIFORNIA'S ASSESSORS
CALIFORNIA ASSESSORS ASSOCIATION
AND THE B. O. E..
IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN THE P. O. WE
THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THEN
BE -- WE
MEMBER AND NOW STATE TREASURER
FIONA MA.
ADOPTED IMPORTANT PROPERTY TO
THIRTY SECONDS YES SIR WITHOUT
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ELECTED
MEMBERS THESE CRITICAL REFORMS
NEVER WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.
AND BY ADEQUATELY FUNDING TO BE --
YOU ALLOW IT TO FOCUS ON ITS
CORE CRITICAL PROPERTY TAX
FUNCTIONS AND I KNOW THERE IS AN
INTEREST FROM A BUDGET
PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF SAVING
MONEY.
YOU CAN DO THAT BY STOPPING THE
MOVE OF THE B. O. E. SAVING THE
TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
BUT LOOK TO INCREASE AND NOT
DECREASE THE FINDING OF THE P.
O. E. SO THEY CAN ADEQUATELY
PERFORM THESE CRITICAL CRITICAL
FUNCTIONS IN CONCLUSION VERY
BRIEFLY. TO THOSE WHO WILL
QUICKLY SWEEP AWAY THE BOP
ENTRANCE FOR ITS POWER TO AN
ELECTED.
INDIVIDUALS I RESPECTFULLY
SUBMIT THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAVE
NOT.
ADEQUATELY CONSIDERED THE
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TAXPAYERS AND
THE SUBSTANTIAL DETRIMENT WILL
HAVE TO OVERSIGHT THANK YOU
THANK YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU FOR
COMMENTS.
LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS LAST CALL.
ALL RIGHT WE LIKE YOU BETTER
BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE
BUT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY
CLOSING COMMENTS --
I AGAIN WANT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL
WE HAVE BEEN TO BE ABLE.
TO CONNECT IN WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SENATOR DRAWS
SO AND HER BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
THANK YOU FOR A WORK MA'AM AND
PLEASE FORESHORES --
I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
WHO WAS HERE.
FROM YOUR INDIVIDUAL POINT OF
VIEW FROM YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES
OF DECADES AGO TO YOUR CURRENT
EXPERIENCES --
FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT
REPRESENT STAFF AND EMPLOYEES
WHO WHO DO THE WORK OF THE
ASSESSORS ALL OF YOU I THINK
IT'S BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT TO
HEAR IN ONE HEARING.
IN THIS MEETING FROM ALL OF YOU.
I'VE HEARD --
FROM YOU THAT WE NEED TO OF THE
BOARD THAT THESE ARE VERY
IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC --
DIFFERENT SECTORS OF OUR PUBLIC --
TO PROTECT THE OF THE STAFF THAT
WORK SO HARD TO DELIVER THE
SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
PUBLIC KNOWS ABOUT ANY OF THESE
CHANGES --
AND THAT THERE WELL INFORMED SO
THAT WE DON'T TAKE STEPS WITHOUT
INFORMING THE PUBLIC SO.
THERE'S MANY MORE ISSUES THAT
YOU BROUGHT UP AND I JUST WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU AND APPRECIATED
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MADAM CHAIR
AND AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
WORK I WANT.
TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO SAY IF
YOU THINK YOU WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU TO MISTER GORE NOW TO MY
LEFT.
WHO IS THE CHIEF CONSULTANT WITH
GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE AND I
WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE
GENTLEMAN TO MY RIGHT MR
STEPPING SHOP?
WHO RUNS ALL ISSUES OF BUDGET
FOR THE STATE SENATE AND HAS A
BIT OF A STRESSFUL JOB --
SO -- VERY
GRATEFUL SIR THANK YOU VERY MUCH
BOTH YOU FOR THE COLLABORATION
AND THE WORK.
WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE
CONTROLLER AND THE BORDER
OFFICER FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND
TO OUR EXPERT PANEL.
WE WORKED HARD TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE VOICES OF ALL SIDES ON
THIS ISSUE.
THE REASON WHY WE WANTED TO BE A
DO THAT HERE TWO DAYS THIS HAS
SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
TAXPAYERS OF CALIFORNIA.
IN OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE A FORUM --
HERE IN THIS INITIAL HEARING ON
THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOME
NEXT STEPS --
WE'RE GONNA HAVE INDIVIDUAL
CONVERSATIONS HERE IN THE WEEKS
AND MONTHS TO COME WITH THE
BOARD OF A BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
AS WELL AS THE COMPTROLLER'S
OFFICE.
AND ALL OF THOSE STAKEHOLDERS
YOU HEARD FROM TODAY --
AND IN ADDITION MANY MORE IN THE
WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.
WE WILL BE HOLDING A SECOND
HEARING WITH --
OFA IN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION.
LOOKING BACK AT THEIR TWENTY
FOUR PROBABLY BY THE TIME WE GET
THERE TWENTY FOUR MONTHS AND HOW
THAT TRANSITION HAS BEEN
ADVANCING.
END.
THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING TO
CONTINUE --
AS WE ALL KNOW IS BECAUSE THERE
IS LEGISLATION THAT FOCUS ON
THIS.
AND THERE IS NOT MANY AS FAR AS
I AM AWARE OF WHAT MAY OR IF
ANYTHING MAYBE MOVING THIS YEAR
ON THE STATE SENATE SIDE.
AND IT SURE WOMAN AND I WILL
CONTINUE TO BE IN TOUCH I AS WE
MOVE FORWARD.
AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS IS
JUST BEGINNING WE LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU HERE IN THE
MONTHS TO COME.
THIS OVERSIGHT INFORMATIONAL
HEARING IS ADJOURNED