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Civitas Outlook
Topic
Politics
Published on
Jan 25, 2026
Contributors
Jonathan Hartley
Arthur Laffer

California Wealth Tax Backers Ignore Proposition 13 Lessons

Contributors
Jonathan Hartley
Jonathan Hartley
Research Fellow
Jonathan Hartley
Arthur Laffer
Arthur Laffer
Arthur Laffer
Summary

While the tax would be a “one-time event,” nothing would prohibit similar initiatives in the future.

Summary

While the tax would be a “one-time event,” nothing would prohibit similar initiatives in the future.

Listen to this article

California is flirting with a new and destructive tax. A proposed ballot initiative, the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act, would impose a one-time 5% levy on the net worth of California residents with more than $1 billion, calculated as of Jan. 1, 2026, with payment due in 2027 and an option to spread payments over five years at an added charge.

While the tax would be a “one-time event,” nothing would prohibit similar initiatives in the future. Supporters call it a tax on billionaires, but in practice it would be a giant, government-mandated liquidation event for people whose wealth is often tied up in illiquid business equity. It also contains a feature that should make any taxpayer uneasy: It would be retroactive to the start of 2026.

Read the full article on the Wall Street Journal.

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