◼ Political elite blocks Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association from participating in a hearing on Prop. 13 while giving anti-Prop. 13 zealots a soapbox to promote their misinformation. - Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Readers of this column are fully aware that the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is the leading voice for California’s beleaguered homeowners and citizen taxpayers. For that reason, we have frequently confronted situations where California’s political elites attempt to silence our voice or limit the access conferred to others in communicating our message to the public at large.
Just last year, you may recall, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg intentionally shut off the camera which was airing what was specifically designated as a “public hearing” at the Capitol just as HJTA’s representative was about to testify on the horrible impacts of Proposition 30. Agree with us or not, we had an important message to share with all California voters as to why imposing the highest income tax and sales tax rates in America was a bad idea. Pulling the plug on the public access channel was such an unwarranted act of censorship that even the usually liberal media was outraged.
Well, here we go again.
Today, April 8, 2013, the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation is holding a 3 hour hearing on Proposition 13. And yet the organization which is synonymous with Prop 13 and the rights of California homeowners was not invited to participate. Thus, although assorted government analysts, academicians and even those expressing outright hostility to Proposition 13 will be testifying, the voice of homeowners has, once again, been locked out.
