San Diego Union Tribune
Published: Friday, November 13, 2009

For years, the Sacramento establishment hasn’t just argued that the main reason California is dysfunctional is because of Proposition 13, which caps annual property tax increases at 2 percent, and because of rules that the Legislature can only approve budgets and tax hikes on a two-thirds vote. Many pundits and pols have also often claimed the public agrees with them.

There’s just one problem with this assertion: There is no evidence it is true.
This was underscored yet again by recent polls.

A survey of 1,500 registered voters done on behalf of the University of Southern California and The Los Angeles Times found only 30 percent of voters backed easing Proposition 13’s limits on property tax hikes even if homes were spared and only commercial properties were affected. Only 37 percent backed allowing the Legislature to pass budgets with a simple majority.

A Field Poll of 1,005 voters showed only 27 percent wanted the Legislature to be able to raise taxes on a simple majority vote.

Nevertheless, California Forward, a self-styled government reform group, says focus groups show voters are receptive when reasons to make big changes in these protections are explained.

But we doubt these explanations included a mention of the fact that despite the two-thirds threshold to higher taxes, California still has among the highest state sales, income and gasoline taxes in the nation and the highest corporate taxes in the West.

Thankfully, however, voters seem aware of this – without any focus group briefing.