Make big businesses pay

By Kitty Calavita, Berkeley | 1/7/2022

Regarding “Court rules in favor of Oakland tax” (Bay Area, Dec 31): Oakland voters overwhelmingly passed the Measure AA parcel tax in 2020. This measure, estimated to cost homeowners $200 annually, will provide badly needed funds for early childhood education and college preparation.

That same election cycle saw the statewide Proposition 15 fail by a slim margin. Prop. 15 would have imposed fair property taxes on large businesses to fund education. It was fought by commercial real estate and other special interests with baseless claims — and ironically — fear mongering that it would raise homeowners property taxes.

We badly need funds for education and Measure AA is a start, but we need much more than these local revenue efforts can provide.

We need big businesses, which for decades have benefited from property tax loopholes, to step up and pay their fair share. Otherwise, we will have to keep voting for these piecemeal parcel taxes on homeowners to fill the gap.