August 6th, 2020 The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor of the State of California State Capitol, First Floor Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Newsom, Thank you for your leadership during this difficult time. You have been an advocate and partner for our communities throughout this crisis, and we are counting on your leadership as we continue navigating our way through this pandemic. As you know, California’s cities are responsible for addressing California’s most pressing local needs, and as Mayors we are facing impossible circumstances everyday in the face of unprecedented budget shortfalls and dire economic forecasts. It has become abundantly clear that solutions are needed to ensure we have the resources to come out of this pandemic stronger than before.

We are writing to respectfully request that you join us in supporting the Schools & Communities First initiative, Proposition 15 on the November ballot. This is the most important initiative we can enact to ensure an equitable recovery and reinvestment for California.

At a time when so many Californians are struggling, a fraction of the state’s biggest and wealthiest corporations are benefiting from property tax loopholes which drain resources from local communities. These are resources that our cities need for PPE, essential workers, reducing class sizes, investing in public hospitals and community health clinics, addressing persistent poverty and homelessness, and other pressing needs.

Prop. 15 is a reasonable, necessary measure that will help us all meet the moment. By closing these corporate property tax loopholes, we can generate nearly $12 billion every year for our K-12 schools, community colleges, and local governments -- all while protecting homeowners and renters, small businesses, and agriculture. Moreover, by exempting small businesses whose property is worth $3 million or less and implementing new small business tax cuts, we can support our local businesses which have been so impacted by this crisis.

To put everything into perspective, a recent analysis of Prop. 15 showed that only 10% of the biggest and wealthiest commercial and industrial properties will generate 92% of the revenue – illustrating the fact that a fraction of those at the top have avoided paying their fair share for decades. We simply can’t afford corporate property tax loopholes which benefit a fraction of those at the top while our schools and local communities continue to struggle.

Cities across California are battling unprecedented challenges. We are counting on you to lead us through this crisis and help rebuild California better than it was before, exercising courageous leadership. We are counting on you to join us in supporting Proposition 15.

Sincerely, We, the undersigned

Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles London Breed, Mayor of San Francisco Rey Leon, Mayor of Huron Libby Schaaf, Mayor of Oakland Jesse Arregiun, Mayor of Berkeley Tom Butt, Mayor of Richmond Adrian Fine, Mayor of Palo Alto Kevin Mckeown, Mayor of Santa Monica Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton Justin Cummings, Mayor of Santa Cruz Jan Flory, Mayor of Fullerton Gerg Lyman, Mayor of El Ceritto Nick Pilch, Mayor of Albany Rick Degolia, Mayor of Atherton Christian Patz, Mayor of Emeryville