Stanley R . Apps – Attorney Turned Avid Tax Relief Advocate
Stanley R. Apps is an employment lawyer in California that provides legal counsel to people in the areas of Education, Civil Rights, Juvenile Defense, and Debt Collection Defense. He represents employees who are wrongfully terminated, subjected to discrimination, or retaliated against by management.
Mr. Apps is seasoned at fighting for rights to fair treatment and fair pay in the work place… He is experienced at handling cases involving Employment Law; Gender and Disability Discrimination, Disability Accommodations, Retaliation against Whistleblowers and those who report Discrimination.
Stanley Apps Esq. filed Ballot Initiative #21-0032 on October 6, 2021 – a property tax initiative that will allow voters to consider significant changes to California tax policy — this time for an expanded tax exemption for single-family homes paid for by higher taxes on high-valued property of all kinds. Also called The Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022 – filed as a California ballot proposition, without multi-millionaire politician fanfare and media fanfare.
Mr. Apps, discouraged and frustrated by the deceptive language and disappointing outcomes of CA Proposition 19, put forth this brand new ballot initiative to increase the existing property tax exemption for California homeowners from $7,000 to $200,000. Moreover, increasing non property-owning renters’ income tax credit… while establishing a surcharge on residential properties valued at $4 million or more.
Homeowner Tax Exemptions and State Property Tax Revenue
The full title reads: “Increases Homeowners’ Property Tax Exemption and Renters’ Tax Credit. Increases Taxes on High-value Properties. Limits Local Restrictions on Housing Development. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute”.
If this property tax relief measure can increase part of a homeowner’s property value that’s exempt from property taxes from $7,000 to $200,000 – California homeowners will begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. If even some of this passes, it looks like there will be positive changes in property tax exemptions as well as new rules for property tax transfers in California.
• California residents who are renters will receive an “income tax credit” up to $2,000, adjusted for inflation, as long as their income is not over $400,000 per year.
• Local governments will be reimbursed for any resulting lost revenue with a maximum property tax surcharge of 1.2% – on properties valued over $4 million.
• To pay off an expected $18B in yearly losses, many higher-end properties, valued at $5 million plus, would experience a tax hike — excluding residents of a certain age plus various lower-income properties. However, as per usual, these items remain vague, in terms of specific details and concrete explanation.
• Local residents with “cash flow problems” will supposedly be protected from being denied “lower cost housing” — again, devoid of factual data-points and specific determinations.
Economic Affect
The economic imprint of The Housing Affordability and Tax Cut Act of 2022” on California is expected to be significant. Economists anticipate an increase in property taxes on properties worth $4 million and over; at least $16B to $19B in new tax revenue to the state; plus increased state costs resulting from the increases to the homeowners’ property tax exemption and renters’ tax credit.