Castro Valley Matters intends this continuing California Propositions-2020 blog series to help our members and readers distill fact from advertising claims when considering the 12 state propositions on this year’s ballot.

Reminder: October 19th is the deadline to register to vote in Alameda County. For more information, see the link at https://www.acvote.org/index.

All eligible voters will be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot beginning October 5th for the November 3rd general election and you can track your ballot using the using the “voter profile” link at https://www.acgov.org/rovmvp_app/mvp.do.

Next up, Proposition 19, which proposes portable property tax breaks for older Californians and an end to some inheritance tax breaks.

Prop	Name	Brief Description
19	Portable Property Tax Breaks	Gives Californians 55 or older a big property tax break when buying a new home

According to CalMatters.org, Prop 19 would “give Californians 55 or older a big property tax break when buying a new home. To fund that new tax break, it would curtail a separate tax break Californians may receive on homes inherited from parents and grandparents. 

Typically when Californians buy a new home, their property taxes shoot way up. That’s because property taxes here are based mostly on the value of your home when you bought it — not its current market value. Baby Boomers who bought that bungalow down the street right after Woodstock are paying way less in property taxes than the tech yuppies who bought an identical bungalow last year.  

This prop would allow the Boomer couple to buy a new house anywhere in the state and retain relatively low property taxes.

Also under current law, a Californian who inherits a Malibu estate can rent it out on Airbnb yet still pay property tax locked in at the parents’ rates. Under this prop? If adult heirs want to keep their artificially low property tax bill, they’ll need to live in their inherited digs.

New revenue from closing the inheritance tax break could generate billions for schools, local governments and the state. A big chunk would go to firefighters.”

What a “Yes” Vote Means	What a “No” Vote Means
A “Yes” vote on Proposition 19 means changing State law to give Californians 55 or older a big property tax break when buying a new home and closes an inheritance tax break.	A “No” vote on Proposition 19 means State law will remain unchanged: property taxes will be based on the value of property at the time of purchase, regardless of the buyer’s age, and the inheritance tax break stays intact.

The following people and organizations have either endorsed Proposition 19 and urge you to vote “Yes” or are opposed to Proposition 19 and want you to vote “No”.

Wants You to Vote “Yes”	Wants You to Vote “No”
California Association of Realtors California Professional Firefighters Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Democratic Party California Nurses Association	Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Hills)

Need to know more? Check out these useful links to find more details on this proposition.