Court Rules to Remove “Taxpayer Protection Act” From Ballot

The California Supreme Court on Thursday removed a Measure from the November Ballot that would have made it harder to raise taxes. The ruling sided with Governor Gavin Newsom and State Democrats.

If the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act measure was on the ballot, it would have allowed voters to decided whether they wanted to require voter approval (or threshold) for tax increases to 2/3. Currently, at the local level, it is simply a simple majority of 50%+1.

The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act will:

• Increase accountability and transparency so politicians spend our tax dollars more efficiently.
• Empower voters with the right to approve or reject all new state and local taxes, ensuring that elected officials are held accountable for spending public funds.
• Stop government agencies from using “hidden taxes” disguised as fees to drive up the cost of government services.

The measure had more than 1.6 million signatures, however,  Governor Gavin Newsom sued to block the measure from the ballot

Assemblyman Bill Essayli issued the following statement after the California Supreme Court removed the Taxpayer Protection Act from the 2024 ballot:

“California is a fallen republic. When the CA Supreme Court can block the People from voting on a ballot initiative, we have devolved from a constitutional to a banana republic. This decision is outrageous and I hope voters will make their voices heard in November by voting out every incumbent democrat who supported this attack on our democracy.”

Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (Yuba City) issued the following statement on the California Supreme Court decision to remove the Taxpayer Protection Act from this November’s ballot:

“This decision is an outrageous abuse of power by seven Justices who think they know better than the 40 million people of California. The Court is supposed to look out for the people, not rubber stamp the anti-democratic schemes of politicians hell-bent on protecting their power. Today, the Court silenced the voices of Californians and shredded its credibility in the process.”

Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) issued the following statement:

“Californians have been denied their fundamental right. Residents now cannot protect themselves against a growing government that wants more of their precious dollars.

“It is outrageous that the California Supreme Court is silencing the voice of 1.43 million Californians.

“The California Supreme Court’s role is to ‘maintain uniformity in the law,’ yet today, they chose partisan interests and a bloated government over everyday Californians.”

Here is what was released by Senators Brian Dahle and Brian W Jones:

California Supreme Court strikes down citizen’s ballot initiative at request of Newsom, Democrat lawmakers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, the California Supreme Court struck down a ballot initiative that would limit the government’s ability to raise taxes without public approval. In a nearly unprecedented move, California’s highest court – stacked with Democrat-appointed justices – sided with a group of Democrat lawmakers and Governor Newsom who requested they interfere in the ballot initiative process and remove the initiative, which would have limited their currently broad taxing power. 

The measure, titled the “Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act,” (TPA), collected over one million signatures from Californians and was set to appear on the November 2024 ballot prior to today’s ruling. The ballot measure would have required the public to vote to approve any new taxes sought by the legislature or governor. 

“Today’s ruling is a slap in the face to California citizens as these partisan justices are not only interfering in the initiative process put in place to protect the people’s right to be heard in our democracy, but they’re doing it at the request of the very people who want to raise our taxes time and time again,” said Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber).

“I’m disgusted. The court has failed in its duty to the people of California and our democratic system and instead simply caved to pressure from the governor and legislative Democrats,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego). “The state’s highest court is supposed to be a nonpartisan, independent branch of government.

Democrat lawmakers and the governor retained private lawyers to fight on their behalf against this citizen’s initiative, spending tens of thousands on legal fees from already depleted state tax coffers currently estimated at $62 billion in the red.

“Using taxpayer dollars to fight taxpayer protections is a reprehensible maneuver that has no place in our democratic process,” said Dahle. “It’s truly a sad day for California when our leaders are using partisan politics and taxpayer dollars to strong-arm the courts to remove citizens’ initiatives from the ballot that they don’t like.”

Proponents of the TPA initiative are left with little hope for relief as any subsequent litigation on the issue would likely not be resolved by the June 27 deadline for initiatives to make the November ballot. 

Senator Brian W. Jones represents the 40th Senate District which includes the Cities of Escondido, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, San Diego City communities of Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento Valley, and University City, along with the San Diego County unincorporated communities of 4S Ranch, Alpine, Bonsall, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Pine Valley, Rainbow, Ramona, and Valley Center.

Senator Brian Dahle represents California’s 1st Senate District, which contains all or portions of 15 counties, including Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Shasta. Also serving deferred areas of Tehama, Butte, Colusa, and Glenn counties. 

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• Governor Newsom Unveils Revised State Budget