Take Action with the Lodi Chamber of Commerce Against ACA-13 HERE

Proposed CA Constitutional Amendment ACA-13 is Being Considered by the Assembly
As representatives of the business community in Lodi and beyond, the Lodi District Chamber of Commerce stands firm in our opposition to Assembly Constitutional Amendment 13 (ACA-13) that is being presented to the California State Assembly today. This proposed amendment is being championed by Assemblymember Chris Ward, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and other democratic leaders. ACA-13 has been touted by SEIU California Executive Director Tia Orr as a measure to keep voters from “taking away our freedoms… and to prevent progress” through ballot initiatives. ACA-13, if enacted, could have far-reaching consequences that would prevent California voters’ ability to lower taxes, while making tax increases easier for state legislators.  

ACA-13 Creates a Power Imbalance
Fair taxation lies at the heart of a functional economy and a thriving business environment, and California businesses are already burdened with one of the highest tax rates in the county. While ACA-13's aim to amend the California Constitution might seem like a step in the right direction in curbing frivolous ballot initiatives, we must consider its full implications. ACA-13 would require a higher voter approval requirement for citizen-initiated ballot initiatives seeking to increase tax protections. Yet, it does not impose the same stringent voting threshold for tax increases proposed by the Legislature or local governments.

Protecting Voters from the Legislative Super-Majority
California can be difficult to manage politically due to the ballot initiative system and diverse geography and economy. Politics have become incredibly divisive in the state as the Democratic super-majority has promoted a legislative and spending agenda that doesn’t match up with the values of much of the Northern and Eastern regions. By making it easier for elected officials to raise taxes while making it harder for citizens to reduce them, the amendment would take away one of the last vehicles that voters have to challenge the super-majority’s power to impose new taxes or policies that are unpopular with a majority of Californians.

Unintended Consequences and the Case of Proposition 39
History has shown that even well-intentioned amendments can result in unintended consequences. The California Chamber of Commerce points to Proposition 39, a ballot measure introduced in 2000 to reduce the local vote requirement for school bonds. Had ACA-13 been in effect at the time, Proposition 39 would have failed, despite receiving the support of 53.8% of voters. This raises serious concerns about ACA-13's potential to undermine the very goals of its authors to be able to issue new bonds and taxes to raise revenues in the future. Voter backed tax increases, such as Measure L in Lodi, have been successful and are passed by voters when they have assurances about how the money is being spent.

Nation-wide Battle for Policy Making Power
The Lodi District Chamber of Commerce recognizes that ACA-13 is part of a broader trend seen across the nation. Recent analysis by Ballotpedia reveals that state lawmakers are increasingly making it more challenging for citizens to propose and approve ballot measures. This is an important issue, as no American citizen wants rights taken away by a simple majority vote on a ballot initiative. The problem with ACA-13 is that it limits the ability of citizens to fight unpopular tax policy through ballot initiatives and concentrates too much power within the legislative domain.

Taking Action Against ACA -13
We at the Lodi Chamber and joining forces with other Chambers and tax advocate groups in California, urging the California legislature to carefully consider the implications of ACA-13 and reject it in its current form. If passed with a 2/3 majority of the legislature, ACA-13 will most likely be put on the 2024 primary ballot, trying to limit the amount of time voters have to consider it.

You can send an email to our State Assembly members in opposition to this amendment by clicking HERE.