Disparities in Property Taxes Created by Proposition 13
Behold the ultimate irrationality.
We own a one-half undivided interest in a 5-unit apartment house in Los Angeles.
The L.A. County tax assessor in his wisdom and according to Proposition 13 assessed our half interest at $162,500 and the other half interest at $66,440. This in 1982 when my wife’s father deeded his half interest to my wife for a “no money consideration,” the other half owner being another family member; the assessor declared that under Prop. 13 he had the “right” to reassess the half of the property that was transferred even though there was no “sale.”
The result: In 1988, owner A paid approximately $870 taxes on her half ownership; owner B paid approximately $2,030 tax on her half ownership.
How does anyone justify this?
A.B. BRISTOL
Carlsbad
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
