SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - After years of the liberal justices on the CA Supreme Court issuing dubious rulings to weaken Prop 13 and strip Californians of their citizen initiative rights, CA State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio has introduced the CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative (ACA 14) to restore the rights of voters to block costly and unfair tax hikes at the ballot box.

“The CA Supreme Court has repeatedly abused its power and violated the constitutional rights of Californians to make it easier for the politicians who appoint them to raise taxes,” said Carl DeMaio, California State Assemblymember. “The CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative restores the rights of voters to block costly and unfair tax hikes – and ensures the integrity of elections on tax measures by prohibiting politicians from using dishonest ballot titles to hide their tax-raising schemes.”

In 2020 in the controversial Uplands case, the liberal California Supreme Court gutted a key constitutional right of voters to a two-thirds vote to approve any local special tax increases. Then in 2024 in an unprecedented and widely criticized ruling, the California Supreme Court blocked the CA Taxpayer Protection Act from the November 2024 ballot – despite the fact that it qualified for a public vote with over one million signatures of California voters.

The CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative (ACA 14) would:

Require that all tax and fee increases proposed via the initiative process include transparent titles and summaries that identify the measure as a "tax increase" or "fee increase", and explain the amount, duration and use of the funds.

Restore the two-thirds vote requirement for any special local tax increase.

Require a statewide public vote on any of the following controversial tax hikes: 1) Mileage Tax 2) Gas Tax 3) Car Tax 4) Savings Tax or 5) Exit Tax.

DeMaio warns that without passage of the CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative, state and local taxes will continue to skyrocket higher.

“With this corrupt court’s blessing and encouragement, California politicians have repeatedly violated the constitutional rights of voters by depriving them of a fair vote on tax hikes – and the CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative will put an end to those abuses,” said DeMaio.

“We know that state politicians want to impose a costly and unfair Mileage Tax on top of our sky-high gas and car taxes,” said DeMaio. “My bill will block the Mileage Tax – and any additional car and gas tax hikes - by requiring they receive voter approval first.”

“My proposal would also block politicians from pursuing two other crazy tax hikes - a Savings Tax on everyone’s bank accounts and investment portfolios and the Exit Tax on anyone who moves out of California to flee our high cost of living,” said DeMaio.

If the state legislature fails to put the CA Taxpayer Protection Initiative on the ballot, DeMaio vows to collect signatures to force a vote on the measure in the 2026 election.