California proposal: No kids? Then don't pay school taxes

A California man has proposed a ballot measure to exempt residents who don’t have kids in state public schools from paying the taxes to fund them.

The “California Education Tax Relief Act,” proposed by Lee Olson of Huntington Beach, would allow California residents with no children in the public school system to avoid paying taxes and fees designated for state school funding, KTVU reports.

Last week, the state Attorney General’s Office gave approval for circulation of the initiative, allowing proponents to start collecting the signatures necessary to get a spot on the November 2018 ballot.

The proposal is one of several initiatives that Olson, who lists himself as chairman of the Committee to End Slavery, proposed earlier this year. In 2009, he proposed a measure with the same title, but it failed to qualify for the ballot.

It’s unclear whether the measure might stand a chance of even getting on the ballot this time. If it did, it could meet stiff opposition from parents and others worried such a massive exemption would result in higher taxes elsewhere.

The state’s Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance says the measure could reduce revenue from state and local taxes and fees by tens of billions of dollars a year -- but could lead to increases in other taxes and fees in order for state and local governments to balance their budgets.

In order to qualify for the November 2018 ballot, the school tax initiative needs 585,407 signatures by May 8, 2018, KTVU reports.

Do they separate 'school' taxes from taxes in general come tax time?

taxes go to plenty of things not everyone uses, its too much paperwork and manpower to assign individual tax bills based upon individual usage of public resources.

I always believed we invest in children not because of our biological connection but because of our national legacy, those children potentially become future leaders and innovators that benefit even the childless, making it an investment even the childless should fee responsible to making.

Agree with MSH. Even if this "proposal" goes through,knowing California's propensity to tax it's people they would find a way to tax childless people. Maybe a crime tax because not having schools and education would increase crime.

I don't know about Cali but, here in Texas school taxes are paid
separate from state and local. It is always the highest local tax
that I pay. School budgets here increase every year and is the
largest employer in the city. It's a multi-million dollar deal.

Just curious...how does that work? Do you have to cut a separate check to the board of ED?

same here in nh separate budget for schools. but we cut one check to local tax collector, as the tax bill is an itemized tally of each separate budget we pay for.

Yea, the school district has it's own tax office here. And the
school dist. has it's own health care clinic for employees and
their families paid for, of course, by the tax payers.

Glad I'm in Florida! No state or local taxes. Just pay federal.

then how does fla fill their state and local budgets? all through income and sales tax?

No income taxes, just sales tax(which is much lower then most states)and Lottery sales(that help fund education) and of course corporate taxes and property taxes(which are also very low compared to other states). And they save a lot of money by not having unions and the corruption they bring LOL

ok here in nh no sales or income tax the main is property tax then business tax and a few one off sales taxes

I should also add the state makes a lot of it's money through tourism, taxing hotels and amusement parks like Disney and Sea World etc.

yep here it's a room and meals tax about our only add on sales tax.

fuel and smokes and booze is all built in at supplier level

What I see is flawed as far as school taxes is my kids have been out of school for 15 years but I still have to pay school taxes..

Not really fair to those aging and still paying school taxes..

And yet those that rent do not pay school taxes go figure....

In NJ I was paying 6000 to 7000 in property taxes plus all the state and local taxes. Here in FL I pay 600 to 700 in property tax(for @ same size house) and no state taxes...huge difference.And what you realize here is that roads and construction get done faster. I still travel to NJ often because I have a business up there and the roads are terrible and repairs take forever, they charge tolls for everything. Florida only has one toll road that I'm aware of.

Time for you to move to Florida

can't say for texas but up here the renters do pay. it is just burried in the rent. the owner of the property is paying the school tax on it

But individually these school taxes what does the total come to,how much are they paying into these school taxes..does it come to pennies, dollars I see no mention here of what they actually pay..

again this is for me not cali but in my town this year the rate is 13.41 per 1000 of property value plus 2.21 per 1000 for the state portion of the education funding.

and the rest of the bill is
4.91 per 100 for town budget
.98 per 1000 for county

You are correct they are normally buried in the price of the rent but in the end the homeowner is the only one responsible to pay them..

Still don't see why after you no longer have kids in school for at least 15 years why they don't fix it where some can get a break...and quit paying school taxes..