MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 9, 2018
Contact: Dave Jacobson, (818) 943-2348
Maclen Zilber, (510) 508-9142
Jacobson & Zilber Strategies
CAMPAIGN TO CLOSE PROP 13 CORPORATE LOOPHOLE RECEIVES LARGEST ENDORSEMENT YET
The 950,000 member California Alliance for Retired Americans is the largest group to support the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) announced its support for the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2018. With over 950,000 members across California, CARA is a coalition of 275 affiliates working to educate and inform the public and elected officials about issues that affect the well being of California’s older adults.
“The California Alliance for Retired Americans supports the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act because the Prop 13 corporate loophole has gutted funding for services that seniors rely on,” said CARA President Nan Brasmer. “The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act protects seniors and retirees, reaffirms all of the vital protections that Proposition 13 puts in place for homeowners, while closing loopholes that primarily benefit a small number of large corporations. Let’s fix Proposition 13 and return it to what it was intended to be: a law protecting homeowners and keeping seniors in their homes – not a loophole for corporations.”
The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act, led by Advancement Project California, California Calls, Common Sense Kids Action, Evolve California, League of Women Voters of California, PICO California, Alliance San Diego, the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of California (CHIRLA), and the California Federation of Teachers seeks to eliminate the Proposition 13 corporate property tax loophole. The loophole, which was snuck into Prop 13 by special interests, allows wall street, big oil, and massive corporations to pay microscopic property taxes on some of the most valuable land across California. The Schools & Communities First Act would close this loophole, which would provide billions of dollars every year to schools and public services, all the while maintaining Prop 13 protections for small businesses, agriculture, and residential properties.
Recently, the coalition launched kick off events all across California to recruit and train volunteers to collect signatures to make the November ballot. The loophole closure also picked up a key endorsement from California Federation of Teachers President Joshua Pechthalt, one of the largest teachers unions in the state.
Veronica Carrizales, Policy and Campaign Development Director of California Calls, issued this statement following the CARA endorsement:
“We are thankful for the words of President Brasmer and the support of over 950,000 CARA members. Voters originally passed Prop 13 to protect homeowners and senior citizens, not to give massive handouts to corporations like Wells Fargo and Chevron. By passing the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act, we will ensure that older adults and all Californians have the high quality public services that makes our state a world leader.
For more information on the measure, visit www.SchoolFundingNow.com.
