TV Forum to Explore Pros, Cons of Proposition 13

Audience participants are needed for the July 22 recording session

By Hap Freund | Published on 07.14.2009

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As Santa Barbara braces for big cuts in public schools and social programs, and as local governments struggle to balance their budgets, political reform advocates around the state are arguing that it’s time to change the way state government operates in California, and many are saying that the place to start is with Proposition 13.

Since its passage in 1978, the Proposition 13 property tax cut initiative has transformed the economic and political landscape of the state. Supporters say it has protected residential property owners from being taxed out of their homes, and that it has produced stability and certainty in property tax rates for businesses. Critics claim it has caused severe damage to the state’s education system and ripped political power away from local governments and handed it to lawmakers in Sacramento.

The Santa Barbara Channels’ Real Talk: A Santa Barbara Forum series will record a one-hour special on July 22 examining the pros and cons of Proposition 13, the underlying causes of the state’s financial crisis and the new effort to radically restructure government in California.

Joe Armendariz, a member of the Carpinteria City Council and executive director of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association, and Susan Rose, a former Santa Barbara County supervisor, will face off in what promises to be a spirited discussion. Jerry Roberts, publications director at UCSB and former executive editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press, will be the host and moderator.

Among the questions Real Talk will examine are:

» Should Proposition 13 be changed to allow a different tax rate for commercial and residential property?

» Should Proposition 13’s two-thirds requirement for new taxes be relaxed?

» Does Proposition 13 put too much power in the hands of Sacramento politicians?

» What can be done to repair the dysfunction of state government?

» How does all of this affect Santa Barbara taxpayers, parents and voters?

In addition, a small studio audience will be present to ask questions and participate in the discussion. Those interested in participating should contact Hap Freund at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). E-mailed questions also will be considered and should be sent to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The program will air within a few days of its recording.

— Hap Freund is the executive director of The Santa Barbara Channels.

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» b_reynaldo on 07.15.09 @ 06:23 AM

Watching previous “Real Talk” episodes, Jerry Roberts seems to believe that all of California’s problems are due to “Anglos” voting against higher taxes.  Hey Hap—why not have a forum on the impact of mass immigration on California’s budget crisis?  More than half of California’s budget goes to K-12 education, with 25% of the students English-deficient.


» Hap Freund on 07.15.09 @ 10:31 AM

First of all, thanks for watching Real Talk. 

Jerry is the host/moderator and we have endeavored each time to have guests reflecting different points of view.  That should happen on this program, with Joe and Susan, and could be enhanced by having some audience members to ask questions, too.

We have a community group preparing their own series for Channel 17 on their perspective on the impact of immigration, but perhaps it would be a good Real Talk topic. We’ll add it to the list of possible future programs


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