Proposition 13 Change Seen as Boon to Sales

Applause for former L. A. County Assessor Alexander Pope and Assemblyman Dave Elder (D-Long Beach) for their success in modifying Proposition 13, allowing over-55 homeowners to retain their low tax assessments when they retire to smaller homes.

Dick Turpin correctly noted (Aug. 23) that this should start a round of “musical chairs” in the housing market as parents of growing families choose to move up to the larger homes freed by seniors taking advantage of Pope’s brainchild, Proposition 60 (and Elder’s AB 60 which implemented it). Then, the homes once owned by these maturing families will be available to first-time home buyers.

Now that we have proved that Proposition 13 can be “fine-tuned” without jeopardizing its 1% tax rate cap, we should move on to lowering its two-third vote requirement on the Legislature and other governmental entities for any tax increases. This straitjacket on our elected officials must be modified to 60% or 55% so that a minority of politicians can no longer block proper funding of schools, law enforcement and transportation in this state.

MARK RYAVEC

Los Angeles

Ryavec served as chief deputy to Los Angeles County Assessor Alexander Pope from 1985 to 1987.