For each corporate property,
there many small biz owners
David Bohnett’s opinion column on Proposition 13 (“How California voters can update, improve Prop. 13,” Feb. 18) shows faulty logic, a lack of fiscal reality and disdain for small business operation and small commercial property owners.
1. For every large corporate-owned property, there are hundreds of thousands of small commercial property owners who need certainty of their tax burden; 2. For every large business corporation, there are hundreds of thousands of small business operations (i.e. restaurants, dry cleaners, etc.) whose property tax is a significant portion of their rent or mortgage; 3. Increasing property taxes on small businesses will result in increased prices to the ultimate consumer. Many of the small businesses will quit thereby reducing consumer services and competition; 4. Many public-sector pension funds are invested in commercial real estate. Increasing their property tax burden will decrease their earnings.
That is a really bad idea.
Brad Hirst
Pleasanton
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor