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Prop 15 – Schools & Communities First

Invest in Our Children, Our Communities, Our Future

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“Prop 15 – Schools and Communities First – will make our property tax system fairer. We are starving our public services and infrastructure resources because we don’t collect taxes on big commercial properties as other states do. Some of the richest companies are paying the 1970’s tax rates. They aren’t paying their fair share for the public infrastructure that helps their businesses make profits. Schools and Communities First will help fix that by reassessing commercial property valued over $3 million every three years.”

–Frank Soria, 30-year Monterey County Commercial Appraiser and SEIU 521 member

“Major corporations such as Disneyland, Chevron… they are paying the property taxes at 1970’s rates. So we know that corporations are much more able to pay more taxes than our homeowners are.”

Alicia Metters, SEIU 521 Vice President for Region 2 at press conference in Salinas, on Dec. 17, 2019.

Media coverage:
Monterey County Herald
KION (CBS) TV
Telemundo 23 TV
KMS Univision TV


Our tax dollars should pay for world-class schools and thriving neighborhoods. Instead, a corporate tax loophole has drained billions of dollars from our local schools and communities for over 40 years. Schools & Communities First will reclaim $11 billion every year for our schools and local communities by closing the loophole in corporate property taxes that benefits a fraction of wealthy corporations and investors.

  • Reclaim $12 billion per year for K-12 schools, community colleges, and local communities
  • Close commercial property tax loopholes that corporations and wealthy investors use to avoid paying their fair share of property taxes
  • Protect all homeowners and renters by maintaining tax protections for ALL residential property. Schools & Communities First does not affect property taxes for homeowners and renters because the initiative exempts all residential property.
  • Ensure strict accountability so that money goes directly to our schools and communities

California School Funding is Falling Behind: California funding for schools is falling behind, making our state 39th in the nation in per-pupil funding. What’s more, California ranks dead last in the nation with the largest number of students per teacher and the fewest counselors per student. Despite being the 5th largest economy in the world, California’s schools rank in the bottom 10 nationally. Schools and local communities have suffered from 40 years of disinvestment, starving our schools, first responders, healthcare, and vital community services of funding. All Californians deserve world-class schools and neighborhood services, not concentrated wealth in the hands of a few. Schools & Communities First invests billions of dollars in our schools to ensure our kids have the teachers and counselors they need to succeed. 

Download and distribute the fact sheet (PDF)Download

Schools & Communities First is supported by a broad coalition of leaders and organizations throughout California and the nation. They know this effort is critical to restoring $12 billion to California’s schools and communities every year.

Learn more at www.schoolsandcommunitiesfirst.org