“Prop. 13: To Change or Not to Change?” — that will be the topic when the Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute presents a panel and audience discussion next Thursday.
The free event that is open to the public will take place from from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 at the college’s Bundy Campus Room 123, 3171 S. Bundy Drive, Los Angeles.
“Discussions are just getting underway, all over the state, on whether and how to change any of the provisions of Prop. 13 that limited residential and business property taxes and established a two-thirds vote requirement for raising taxes,” says former State Sen. Sheila Kuehl, the Founding Director of SMC’s Public Policy Institute.
Kuehl said no one wants to change the residential property tax limit.
“But there are serious discussions in many of the state’s think tanks, non-profit institutions, legislative committees and foundations about whether something should be done about the commercial business property exemptions and the two-thirds vote requirement,” she said.
Kuehl will moderate the panel of experts currently deeply involved in designing proposed changes to be placed on the ballot, including Lenny Goldberg, executive director of the California Tax Reform Association; Michele Prichard, director of Common Agenda at the Liberty Hill Foundation and senior advisor to California Calls, a voter education and organizing nonprofit; and Jennifer Ito, a project manager at USC’s program for Environmental and Regional Equity.
The panel will present from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Kuehl will lead a robust audience discussion with the panelists from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The ongoing mission of the institute is to engage the community in analyzing issues of public policy, especially those that affect local jurisdictions like cities and counties, and to provide forums such as this for civic engagement.
The event is free, as is parking, but seating is limited and reservations are required. To RSVP, email ppi.rsvp@smc.edu with the number of guests attending. For questions, call 310.434.3429.
For more information about the institute and its activities, call 310.434.3429 or email Kuehl.website@gmail.com
