Split Roll – Your Opinion Needed Now!

Here is a great, easy opportunity to spread the word that split roll is dangerous.  Last week the Orange County Register published an article that most likely appeared in all the Southern California News Group’s (SCNG) 12 papers.  They are seeking opinions on split roll, so this is a great time to make the point that it must be defeated.

Please take a few minutes to let SCNG newspapers know that split roll must be defeated.  Read this article and use the email address noted:  opinion@scng.com. I urge you to complete the survey today!

The California Self Storage Association is joining a coalition of business organizations including the CA Business Properties Association (CBPA), Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and NAIOP (the commercial real estate development association). Check out the following: (https://stophigherpropertytaxes.org/) for more information on the coalition, facts, and articles opposing split role tax.

Below are some talking points, some provided by NAIOP and CBPA, regarding the split roll tax and may provide you with information to share when completing the survey:

•         CSSA, which represents all self storage owners throughout California strongly oppose the split roll initiative.  It’s devastating impact on the California economy will negatively impact all the businesses and people of California.  At a time of record high State tax revenues, why is this even being considered?
•         The measure’s $11 billion tax increase on businesses, the largest in California history, will ultimately get passed on to consumers in the form of increased prices on just about everything people buy and use, including groceries, fuel,utilities, day care, health care and more.
•         Californians already face some of the steepest taxes in the country.  Our cost of living is at a record level – highest in the nation.  Split roll will only make this far worse which will cause more businesses to leave the state,thereby reducing
•         With zero transparency and accountability, and no protections against waste, fraud and abuse, this measure turns billions of new tax dollars over to school administrators and local politicians with no guarantee the money will be spent in the classroom. This measure is so full of flaws that we should not give schools more money until there are assurances, they will spend it better.  Supporters say that this measure will help schools, but only 40 cents of every new tax dollar with go to K-12 schools, while 60 cents will go to local governments with zero requirements on how the money should be spent.
•         Split role tax will especially impact small businesses, like commercial buildings, shopping centers, and self storage. Smaller businesses are less able to absorb a sudden increase.

•       It will create volatility in in property tax revenue due to the fluctuation of property values, thereby causing volatility in rent increases. Prop 13 stabilized the flow of property tax revenue by pricing values year to year.

The sponsors of the split roll initiative have already indicated that if this measure passes, they will come after Proposition 13 protections on homeowners next. This will make the housing crisis even worse by increasing the costs of owning and renting a home – it could even force people out of their homes like what happened before the voters passed Proposition 13 in 1978.