The San Luis Obispo county board of supervisors discussed Tuesday the removal of two plank items on their 2023 legislative platform. Item 14 states the county will “oppose any measures or legislation that reduces the super-majority vote required to raise taxes from 2/3rd to 55%.” Item 15 says the county will “oppose legislation or initiative that proposes to modify proposition 13.” Supervisor Bruce Gibson started the discussion for why he wishes to see the two planks removed from the legislative platform, saying he believes it is “undemocratic.”
Supervisor Jimmy Paulding said he would not support removing plank 15. Instead he proposed removing plank 14 so the county would have a “neutral position” on any legislation that would change the required supermajority for tax rate increases, citing the recent failures in Oceano to pass taxes intended to fund fire services. He also proposed modifying plank 15 to say the county would oppose any legislation that would modify proposition 13, specifically in regards to weakening homeowner protection afforded by proposition 13.
Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg seconded Paulding’s motion, saying the neutrality for plank 14 would pertain to infrastructure and housing only. Supervisors Jimmy Paulding, Bruce Gibson, and Ortiz-Legg voted in favor of Paulding’s motion after further discussion, with supervisors Debbie Arnold and John Peschong dissenting. Debbie Arnold said “The biggest no,” and John Peschong said “Hell no.”
Many public speakers at the meeting were opposed to the removal of these two planks prior to the board’s discussion. The supervisors said that these amendments to the legislative platform would not mean proposition 13 is eliminated or the tax threshold is automatically lowered. The former would be decided by voters, and the latter would be brought to the board for discussion.
