The Property Tax Is One of the Largest Taxes Californians Pay. In some years, Californians pay more in property taxes and charges than they do in state personal income taxes, the largest state General Fund revenue source. Local governments collected about $43 billion in 2010–11 from the 1 percent rate. The other taxes and charges on the property tax bill generated an additional $12 billion.
Understanding California’s Property Taxes
Executive Summary
The various taxes and charges on a California property tax bill are complex and often not well understood. This report provides an overview of this major source of local government revenue and highlights key policy issues related to property taxes and charges.
A Property Tax Bill Includes a Variety of Different Taxes and Charges. A typical California property tax bill consists of many taxes and charges including the 1 percent rate, voter–approved debt rates, parcel taxes, Mello–Roos taxes, and assessments. This report focuses primarily on the 1 percent rate, which is the largest tax on the property tax bill and the only rate that applies uniformly across every locality. The taxes due from the 1 percent rate and voter–approved debt rates are based on a property’s assessed value. The California Constitution sets the process for determining a property’s taxable value. Although there are some exceptions, a property’s assessed value typically is equal to its purchase price adjusted upward each year by 2 percent. Under the Constitution, other taxes and charges may not be based on the property’s value.
The Property Tax Is One of the Largest Taxes Californians Pay. In some years, Californians pay more in property taxes and charges than they do in state personal income taxes, the largest state General Fund revenue source. Local governments collected about $43 billion in 2010–11 from the 1 percent rate. The other taxes and charges on the property tax bill generated an additional $12 billion.
The Property Tax Base Is Diverse. Property taxes and charges are imposed on many types of property. For the 1 percent rate, owner–occupied residential properties represent about 39 percent of the state’s assessed value, followed by investment and vacation residential properties (34 percent) and commercial properties (28 percent). Certain properties—including property owned by governments, hospitals, religious institutions, and charitable organizations—are exempt from the 1 percent property tax rate.
All Revenue From Property Taxes Is Allocated to Local Governments. Property tax revenue remains within the county in which it is collected and is used exclusively by local governments. State laws control the allocation of property tax revenue from the 1 percent rate to more than 4,000 local governments, with K–14 districts and counties receiving the largest amounts. The distribution of property tax revenue, however, varies significantly by locality.
The Property Tax Has a Significant Effect on the State Budget. Although the property tax is a local revenue source, it affects the state budget due to the state’s education finance system—additional property tax revenue from the 1 percent rate for K–14 districts generally decreases the state’s spending obligation for education. Over the years, the state has changed the laws regarding property tax allocation many times in order to reduce its costs for education programs or address other policy interests.
The State’s Current Property Tax Revenue Allocation System Has Many Limitations. The state’s laws regarding the allocation of property tax revenue from the 1 percent rate have evolved over time through legislation and voter initiatives. This complex allocation system is not well understood, transparent, or responsive to modern local needs and preferences. Any changes to the existing system, however, would be very difficult.
California’s Property Tax System Has Strengths and Limitations. Economists evaluate taxes using five common tax policy criteria—growth, stability, simplicity, neutrality, and equity. The state’s property tax system exhibits strengths and limitations when measured against these five criteria. Since 1979, revenue from the 1 percent rate has exceeded growth in the state’s economy. Property tax revenue also tends to be less volatile than other tax revenues in California due to the acquisition value assessment system. (Falling real estate values during the recent recession, however, caused some areas of the state to experience declines in assessed value and more volatility than in the past.) Although California’s property tax system provides governments with a stable and growing revenue source, its laws regarding property assessment can result in different treatment of similar taxpayers. For example, newer property owners often pay a higher effective tax rate than people who have owned their homes or businesses for a long time. In addition, the property tax system may distort business and homeowner decisions regarding relocation or expansion.
