Proposition 13, a measure passed by California voters in 1978, has played a significant role in limiting property taxes and restricting the ability of state and local governments to impose new taxes. The proposition set a cap on property tax rates and required that certain local taxes receive approval from two-thirds of voters.
Recent legal developments have introduced uncertainty regarding these requirements. A 2017 court decision raised questions about whether citizens’ initiatives for local taxes must meet the two-thirds threshold or only require a simple majority. This ambiguity affected measures such as Los Angeles’ Measure ULA, which was approved by 57.77% of voters in 2022. Marketed as a “mansion tax” aimed at addressing homelessness, Measure ULA imposes a tax on real estate sales above $5 million, with rates ranging from 4% to 5.5%, depending on the sale price.
A similar situation occurred with Fresno’s Measure P, which was passed by 52.17% of voters in 2018 but did not reach the two-thirds mark. Courts later determined that only a simple majority was necessary for this type of citizen-led initiative.
In response to these changes, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), named after Proposition 13’s original advocate, has proposed a constitutional amendment called “The Local Taxpayer Protection Act to Save Prop. 13.” According to HJTA, “The Local Taxpayer Protection Act to Save Prop. 13 will restore the requirement that local special taxes earmarked for a specific purpose must be approved by two-thirds of voters.”
To place this measure on the November 2026 ballot, HJTA needs to collect at least 874,641 signatures from registered California voters by early January 2026 and aims for a total of 1.3 million signatures to ensure qualification. Supporters can find more information and access petitions at SaveProp13.com.
