Proposition 13, In 1978, voters overswhelmighly passed Proposition 13 in reaction to skyrocketing property values, which were literally taxing senior citizens from their homes. Inflation in the late 1970s was rampant. Home prices were soaring and incomes, especially those of senior citizens on fixed incomes, were not keeping pace with assessed values and property taxes. Assessors, in performing their constitutional responsibilities, had no choice but to increase assessed values to reflect the rising market. The result: Proposition 13.
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