Thirty years ago “Howard Jarvis led the biggest tax revolt in California history.” Prop 13 has become a household word around this country with other states copying this tax limitation achievement.
Prop 13 was approved by the voters of California on June 6th 1978. It was initiated to place a limit on state and local spending. We surely need to follow that concept today. Some called Howard Jarvis a “crusty curmudgeon” a distinction that he surely accepted. The Internet describes a curmudgeon as someone who has “the temerity to comment on the human condition without apology. They not only refuse to applaud mediocrity, they howl it down with morose glee. Their versions of the truth unsettle us, and we hold it against them, even though they soften it with humor.”
The following information on Howard Jarvis comes from Wikipedia:
Howard Jarvis (September 22, 1903 – August 11, 1986) was an American politician.
Jarvis was born in Magna, Utah, and died in Los Angeles, California. In Utah he had some political involvement working with his father’s campaigns and his own. His father was a state supreme court judge and, unlike Jarvis, a member of the Democratic Party. Howard Jarvis was active in the Republican Party and also ran small town newspapers. Although raised Mormon he smoked cigars and drank vodka as an adult. He moved to California in the 1930s due to a suggestion by Earl Warren.
In California he went on to lead the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, he spearheaded Proposition 13, the property tax-cutting initiative in California in 1978 which slashed property taxes by fifty-seven percent and initiated a national tax revolt. Jarvis was a Republican primary candidate for the U.S. Senate in California in 1962, but the nomination and the election went to the liberal Republican Thomas Kuchel.
In 1980 he had a cameo appearance in the film Airplane!, playing an incredibly patient taxi passenger whose metered fare in an unattended taxi rises to over $113. This was an “inside joke” that people outside California were probably unaware of, since Jarvis, the champion of fiscal responsibility, spent the entire movie sitting in an empty cab, with the meter running, waiting for the driver to return.
In the Time Magazine coverage on the passage of Prop 13 it reads: “4.2 million voters supported the measure, overwhelming by nearly 2 to 1 the 2.3 million who refused to go along. It was as though millions of the state’s taxpayers had thrown open their windows like the fed-up characters in the movie Network and shouted in thunderous unison: “I’m mad as hell—and I’m not going to take it any more!”
The significance is easily seen by reading the CA Constitution amendment text:
SECTION 1. (a) The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed One percent (1%) of the full cash value of such property. The one percent (1%) tax to be collected by the counties and apportioned according to law to the districts within the counties.
There are many volunteers who worked with Howard in this revolution. How many of you know the name Paul Gann?
Congratulations to all those who persevered to see this “grass roots” effort become a reality.
Oh no! I’m too young to be a curmudgeon! People usually associate that word with old people! I’m not even thirty! Oh, this hurts. E tu, Brute?
SMS
I went to the 25th Anniversary celebration in Century City five years ago and it was a golden event. It was so inspiring to hear the story and see the patriots that launched this Revolution. It was the Howard Jarvis Revolution that paved the way for Ronald Reagan to get elected.
The odds of something like this happening again are so, so remote. This is why I am so hostile to the Republican Party for squandering the legacy of Howard Jarvis and Ronald Reagan. Maybe the Ron Paul Revolution will put this nation back on track.
One can only hope that the Republican Party will go down hard in November and a new party will rise and replace them. Only then will our nation see a renewal of the concepts of limited government, fiscal conservativism and a return to the principles of liberty described in the Declaration of Independence.
How times have changed. I never thought I’d live long enough to agree that the Republicans have strayed so far from their basic core values the only answer is a new party. But that is the way it seems.
As an ironic footnote to Howard Jarvis. I bought my first house out in the sticks now called the inland empire. It was a modest place but prices were low and the taxes even lower. When Prop 13 was passed it actually RAISED my taxes. Go figure.
Larry,
Never complain, never explain!
Prop 13 meant the beginning of the end to our amazing publica education system. You know, that education that is guaranteed by our State Constiution.
Laying off thousands of teachers who have worked for years in the school system is a byproduct of this prop. Cutting taxes doesn’t stop people, REPUBLICANS and Democrats, from demanding certain things from their Government. Public education is one of those very important investments that is never wasted.
So you celebrate the win of Howard Jarvis as we see our talented teachers leaving the State because they can’t find work in this State because they have too much experience. More homes for sale, less revenue and more issues.
Taxes are not evil, they serve an important purpose in our society and it’s time to stop blaming taxes for all your woes.
Why not try holding your elected officials feet to the fire to try to work with Democrats to solve the budget crisis rather than just holding their breath and throwing a fit and refusing to work for anything or any compromise.
I agree completely with “P.S. Suffer” above. So let me say thank you Howard, perhaps they will hold another ‘glorious’ event when our public schools (and hospitals, post offices, public works dept’s, and public safety departments) finally close.
Thanks to “patriots” like Gann and Jarvis (and their organization that brought us the deceptive Prop 98) education in CA is now funded at the 46th lowest level in the country and the CA credit rating is even lower at 49th.
So generations of California kids are being denied an education comparable to that which those of us who were educated in CA before Prop 13 recieved.
Let me get my salute up here … (_!_) … there.
Cry me a river number 5 and number 6. Prop 13 did nothing to erode our public education system.
We need vouchers and privately owned schools that will meet the unique needs of our children and the diverse needs of our economy. We have some school districts with 70% drop out rates. Those drop out rates are not because of Prop. 13.
Check out for a better alternative for education:
http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/friedman/newsroom/ItemAbc.do?filterId=72
Andy Favor
73rd Assembly District Candidate
http://www.AndyFavor.com
Yes Andy, taking money out of public schools is exactly what we need. Private schools are no better than public schools and your drop out rates can be misleading because it doesn’t account for kids that transfer or move. It’s bogus.
And vouchers will do nothing to deal with the socio-economic issues that cause school drop out rates. Our kids don’t feel valuable and by separating more have and have-nots this will only worsen the situation.
Privatizing education is not the answer and the Federal Government needs to get rid of No Child Left Behind. We do nothing but teach to tests.
There are many good people who serve our communities who went to public schools. The issue has to do with funding going to the wrong priorities and not having the bulk of our money going to the classroom.
It boggles my mind to think that Republicans who so despise Government want so badly to run it, it’s because they are giddy at the idea of privatizing all our vital resources so they can further profit from services that have no business being profit driven, such as HEALTH insurance.
Public Schools, you are dead on correct in regard to getting rid of No Child Left Behind. My current Bi-Monthly Memo from the Cato Institute mentioned a federal reading program that was implemented as part of NCLB. It said the government spent $6 Billion dollars on the program and it had no benefit. Just for reference as to how much money that is, American Idol Gives Back raise $65 Million this year. I think the Sylvan Reading Centers could have had better results for less money.
Did you ever see that Stossel special where a 4th grade boy could not read? There was a big intervention meeting of counselors, principles, etc. etc., and they all said that they did not see a problem with this child not reading. Then Stossel paid for the kid to go to Sylvan and he made huge strides. It was still sad though because when you delay reading that long, it will be very difficult to ever catch up. Or so I hear.
If there is demand, I should put on an event and show that episode. I have it on my DVR. But I should buy it and put on an event.
Public school suffer.
Perhaps you need to check our state’s cash register. We do NOT have a revenue problem. We have a SPENDING problem. Big government, supported by the Democratic majority, comes at a very painful price. And as we continue to float Bonds to balalnce our budget who do you think will be paying them off? Not me; but my grandkids and yours. Does that make you feel better?
Throwing more money at education is not the answer. Perhaps you might question how much of the money actually finds it way down to the teachers. How much are we paying Superintendent’s of Education all over this state anyway?
Are you saying that 50 percent of Latino’s in LAUSD are dropping out of school because of Howard Jarvis?
I never said anything about drop out rates having anything to do with Jarvis, Andy brought that up. Did you not read my comment?
“The issue has to do with funding going to the wrong priorities and not having the bulk of our money going to the classroom.”
I made the same point you are making. There is too much money on top, Administrators should be minimal and teaching should be the most important part of EDUCATION.
It’s called fiscal responsibility. Education is one of those things that shouldn’t be shortchanged and I made the point that we need to be sure we are spending the money in the right place, I said nothing about spending MORE money but you can’t move away from your talking points.
There is a funding and a spending problem and when Republicans and Democrats can agree that both need a good long hard look then we can talk. Seriously, the finger pointing does nothing and it moves us nowhere.
I’m so tired of Republicans blaming taxes for all our woes and spending out of control when they have a President who has spent more money than any other President in the history of this Country. When the Democratic President left office we had a surplus, we no longer do.
Public Schools Suffer,
As you may or may not have been taught in school, it is the legislative bodies that spend and direct those expenditures of our tax dollars, not the executive branch. As well, the subject of Larry’s post was about the state spending and limitations, not federal, but the same expenditure rules still apply. So bash away at the R’s all you want, last time I looked it was the other party that controlled both the state and federal legislatures now. Just a note of clarity, I think it was the R’s that controlled the federal legislature for most of the time Mr. Clinton was in office. I can’t remember the last time that the R’s had more than 41 votes in Sacramento.
Prop 13 didn’t kill public education, poor management and unions have been sucking it dry for a prolonged period of time. It simply refuses to die because ill-informed voters keep voting for irresponsible bond measures that inject funds back into the system and give them more time and money to cover up their mistakes.
I am proud to have been a part of the taxpayer revolt in my younger years and I’m very glad that we did at least slow them down from spending any more than they still do. One can only wonder what kind of irresponsible spending would have ensued had we not poured water on their coals back then.
Yes Larry, I remember Mr. Gann as well.
Public Schools Suffer,
Been there SEEN THAT. Jarvis put a lid on property taxes and some creative bastard figured out that by using prop measures and bonds they could circumvent the whole idea. THEN they discovered no one was really watching what they did with that money and viola, A Gold card for schoool and city administrations! Since you like to put up images of an ass, bite me!
Go back and see where the schools were 20 years ago compared to today. As Larry Gibert pointed out we have a SPENDING problem, more correctly named malfeasance in office.
Howard Jarvis intended for monies taken to be accounted for and put to accountable use.
You can take Clinton for whatever you think. He just tanked his old ladies chances for president because his ego is as crooked as his D**k.
Larry:
Prop13 assured most citizens in California could retain their property. Without it quite honestly we would all be renters or homeless.
While Sarah Michelle Spinosa mocks you, how can you take a “child” serious??? Has she always been a ward of the state???
She is just the folks Prop. 13 stopped from fleecing us.
PSS,
If you would like to explain to us how the late in at LA schools today is representative of teachers making better schools, or is it simply another union action? Looks to me like they are just interested in the employment prospects not in their professional obligation to actualy teach. I believe this is a greater contributing factor to the decline of our public schools than anything else.
Yes, because low taxes is helping everyone keep their houses now. It’s ot the whole issue, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
Teachers are allowed to protest, that is what it’s about. Anyone who questions the dedication of teachers must not know any. They have adavanced degrees, they don’t get paid like professionals and they spend their own money for supplies in the classroom. But the refusal by both sides to budge on fixing the problem because of such wedge issues like immigration, vouchers and unions only insures that the kids in the classroom or shortchanged. Why can’t everyone put aside their dogma for a second and actually think of a way to solve the issue?
“Since you like to put up images of an ass, bite me!” – Huh? I don’t know what this is about. I’m trying to have a civil discussion about taxes and spending. I believe Republicans fail to realize that people demand services but don’t want to have to pay for them. And I also believe that we do spend too much, so I’m not arguing that.
Republicans like to complain about taxes and spending but offer no solutions on how to insure that Government provides the services expected.
From today’s Sac Bee.
Assemblyman Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, (who is headed to the state Senate), blasted the Assembly Democratic leadership for refusing to schedule a hearing for his non-binding resolution to honor Proposition 13 turning 30.
“It has become crystal clear that Democrats in Sacramento do not wish to recognize the benefits and the legacy of a policy that has not only lifted an unbearable tax burden off the backs of so many Californians,” Huff said in a statement.
Yes, because as we face a budget crisis we need to stop and recognize a tax cut enacted thirty years ago. That makes tons of sense. How awful of Democrats.
public school suffer.
When Prop 13 was passed we enjoyed a huge surplus in our state. “In January 1977, the estimated surplus for fiscal year 1977-78 was $940 million, representing about 7.5 percent of revenues. Eighteen months later, by June, 1978, the cumulative surplus was about $5.9 billion—an increase of $5 billion (with the 1977-78 surplus being estimated at about $3.7 billion.”
Let me suggest that you do some research as to why voters felt Prop 13 was the right direction for the electorate to take in their 1978 vote of approval.
How many times do we need to repeat ourselves?
Let’s shift gears. Let’s just suppose you have a job and your net is x dollars per week or month or whatever. Do you spend more than your net income? If so, how do you accomplish this magic anyway? Do you max out your credit cards hoping that tomorrow will take of itself?
Knowing that the economy is in a tailspin do you expand the size of government and create more entitlements without a responsible plan as to how you will fund these new programs?
That appears to be what’s happening in Sacramento.
Lets just float some more Bonds and let future generations deal with the consequences. You know, monthly principle and interest payments.