FACT CHECK: New Ads from Opponents of Prop. 15 Contain Multiple Falsehoods
After court struck down their false homeowner arguments, opponents of Prop. 15 move onto other false claims about homeowners and consumer costs
Opponents claim every family will pay additional $960/year, don’t provide any substantiation or backup
Following a court ruling and independent fact checks striking down their false arguments about homeowners, the first ads released by the No on Prop 15 campaign contain additional falsehoods about homeowners, California families, and small businesses.
As a reminder, the Sacramento County Superior Court ruled “false or misleading” the arguments made by opponents that homeowners and home-based businesses would be affected at all, in addition to the PolitiFact and CBS 8 fact checks regarding opponents’ arguments about homeowners:
AP/CBS Bay Area: Changes Ordered To California Voter Guide Over ‘False Or Misleading’ Anti-Prop. 15 Arguments
PolitiFact: No, Californians aren’t being asked to repeal Prop. 13’s residential property tax limits
CBS8: VERIFY: No, Prop 15 won't repeal Prop 13 for homeowners in California
Here are their most recent claims about Prop. 15 and the facts about the initiative:
CLAIM:
“That means higher prices for gas, food, utilities, and healthcare – increasing the cost of living for a family by $960.”
FACT:
This is false, and it lacks any backup whatsoever.
Consumer prices are based on the market, not property taxes, which is made clear by the fact that businesses charge the same for goods and services no matter how much they pay in property taxes. This has been confirmed by a letter on Prop. 15 authored by leading economists.
The millions that the Los Angeles Country Club and Chevron’s Richmond refinery save every year in low property taxes go towards their bottom line, not savings for consumers.
CLAIM:
“Supporters admit homeowners are next, changing Prop. 13 and raising property taxes on peoples’ homes.”
FACT:
This is false.
We invite reporters and media to go to the No on Prop 15 campaign’s very own press release to see for themselves how utterly baseless this claim and their backup is.
Opponents’ claims about homeowners have consistently been struck down by the court and independent fact checkers for being false, and this claim is no different.
CLAIM:
“Our worst recession isn’t the time for the biggest property tax tike ever.”
FACT:
Prop. 15 will be phased-in, with the biggest and most underassessed commercial properties facing fair market value assessment starting in 2022-23 and other businesses having until 2025-26 to be assessed. Small businesses whose property is worth $3 million or less are exempt from any changes under Prop. 15. According to an analysis of Prop. 15, only the top 10% of commercial and industrial property owners would generate 92% of the revenue.
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