Wave of Opposition Growing Among Healthcare, Education, Housing, Labor, and Public Safety Leaders
SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Medical Association (CMA), California Primary Care Association (CPCA), and California School Boards Association (CSBA) today launched a new committee to oppose the wealth tax – Californians to Protect Funding for Schools, Healthcare and Public Safety – spotlighting how the measure will exacerbate revenue volatility and shortchange the state’s core priorities and services.
“California physicians support a strong Medi-Cal program, but this ballot measure is the wrong way to address the state’s health care funding challenges and was developed without input from the physicians, hospitals, clinics, and other providers who care for Medi-Cal patients every day,” said California Medical Association President René Bravo, MD. “It relies on an unstable revenue source, provides no clear accountability for how the money would be spent, and does not offer the long-term funding solution that patients and health care professionals need.”
“It’s unfathomable that proponents of the Billionaire’s Tax Act are claiming their efforts are intended to help Medi-Cal, while at the very same time they are advocating for policies that will decimate the very safety-net and workforce that Medi-Cal patients rely on,” said California Primary Care Association President & CEO Francisco Silva. “Proponents have a long history of promoting flawed and deceptive proposals that actually harm patients. This measure is no different.”
“Public education depends on stable revenue streams that school districts can count on when making decisions about staffing, programs and student services,” said California School Boards Association CEO and Executive Director Vernon M. Billy. “The California One-Time Wealth Tax Initiative raises serious questions about revenue reliability, economic impacts and the long-term consequences for California’s tax base. CSBA believes students are best served through durable funding solutions that strengthen educational opportunity while preserving the state’s economic competitiveness.”
The launch comes as a broad and diverse coalition representing healthcare providers, educators, housing advocates, labor leaders, and others continue to voice concerns about the wealth tax and its potential impacts on California’s economy and state budget.
Organizations that have announced opposition to the wealth tax in recent weeks include: the California Teachers Association (CTA), Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC), California Hospital Association (CHA), and Peace Officers Research Association (PORAC), among many others. A full list of the growing coalition is here.
For more information, visit: ProtectCAFunding.org.