press release Lean On Me: California’s Local Governments Rely on State Money More Than Those in Rest of Nation Jan 27, 2003
press release Public Schools Serving Poor Students Are Being Shortchanged In California, Study Finds Feb 25, 2000
press release Pursuit Of Sales Tax Revenues Driving Development Decisions In California Cities Jul 8, 1999
Report Has Proposition 13 Delivered? The Changing Tax Burden in California By John Ellwood, Michael A. Shires, Mary Sprague Sep 1, 1998 In 1978, Californians passed Proposition 13, severely restricting the ability of local governments to raise revenue through property taxes. Since then, the voters and public officials have engaged in an almost continual tug-of-war over public finances, with state and local governments seeking creative ways to increase their revenues and taxpayers frequently using the initiative process to prevent new fees and taxes. One of the questions that has arisen in the debate over public finances is whether Proposition 13 has succeeded in reducing the tax burden of Californians. This report answers that question.
Report Subsidizing Redevelopment in California By Michael Dardia Feb 1, 1998 In California, redevelopment agencies (RDAs) receive about 8 percent of the property taxes collected in the state annually—a percentage that amounted to 1.5 billion in 1993-1994. In a state where local governments are severely constrained by tax limits, this allotment of tax revenues to RDAs has become a matter of intense policy debate. The rationale for the RDAs receiving the property tax revenues is that the agencies’ improvements in the redevelopment area lead to increases in property tax assessments. However, other forces could be contributing to a general rise in local real estate values. The volume explores the purposes of RDAs, their incentives, and how they operate. To illuminate the policy debate, it focuses primarily on the tax revenue issues, estimating for the first time how much of the tax revenue RDAs receive is actually the result of their effect on property values.
press release Local Fees, Largely Hidden From Homebuyers, Greatly Increase Cost Of Building, Buying New Homes In California Jul 14, 1997
