How to Get Involved in Repealing the Death Tax in California

Many Californians were taken aback when they learned the truth about Proposition 19.

Prop 19 snuck in under the radar, so to speak. The ballot initiative was billed as a way to protect elderly and disabled Californians. In actual fact, though, Prop 19 brought the death tax back for hard-working California families.

The new law amended the state constitution so that now, when Californians leave property to their children or grandchildren, the property can be subject to enormous tax increases. In many cases, those tax increases make it impossible for the beneficiaries to go on living on their inherited land.

That means that family homes have to be sold, family businesses have to be dissolved, and family farms have to be broken up.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

The  Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, or HJTA, is working hard to reinstate laws protecting hard-working families. The HJTA recently introduced a new ballot initiative called the Repeal the Death Tax Act that would reverse the damage done by Prop 19.

If the Repeal the Death Tax Act is accepted by the voters, then parents and grandparents will, once again, be able to pass down their property without triggering a huge increase in taxes.

How to Get Involved

The HJTA is looking for passionate, dedicated volunteers to help make sure that the Repeal the Death Tax Act passes. Here’s what you can do.

Inform Your Friends and Neighbors

Many people are woefully unaware of exactly how the death tax works. The HJTA has prepared educational materials in the form of a fact sheet and a death tax calculator, to help families understand what Prop 19 means for them. Volunteers can print copies of these materials and pass them out to their friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.

Collect Signatures

Volunteers can collect copies of the petition and circulate it among everyone they know.

The ballot initiative needs almost one million signatures in order to make it onto the November 2022 ballot, but HJTA is aiming to collect at least 1.3 million signatures to be on the safe side. Volunteers must send in all signatures by April 15, 2022 in order for them to be counted on time for presentation to county officials!

Get Educated

The more you know, the more you can help to make a difference. HCS Equity can help provide answers to your questions about Prop 19 and the Repeal the Death Tax Act. Get in touch today to learn more.