Economics

OP-ED: Oakland Homeowners May Qualify for Property Tax Exemptions

Published

8 years ago

November 3, 2015

By Len Raphael

By now, every Oakland homeowner should have received their property tax bill. There are several items in small print to look at because they could save them from $95 to $410 each year.

The first is a county exemption.

Find the words “Homeowners Exemption” on the right side, middle of the bill, a few lines below the word LAND.

Next look to the right in the column “Full Valuation” to see if that space is blank or shows an amount. If it is blank, you were not given the homeowners exemption.

That often happens when people refinance or change title (such as setting up a living trust). The exemption would save you $95 each year.

This exemption is only for owner occupants.

Easiest way to find out why you are not getting the exemption is to call the county at (510) 272-3770 ASAP.

(If you received a scary letter from the City of Oakland, implying that you were not paying business tax to the city on rental income, it could have been because you don’t have a homeowner’s exemption.)

The second is an Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Parcel Tax Exemptions for seniors and for low-income owner-occupants.

There are two OUSD parcel taxes, Measure G and Measure N. You must re-apply every year by June 30.

The $195/year Measure G tax passed in 2008. Low-income owner-occupants of any age are entitled to a full exemption from that tax. The definition of low-income is the same used for Section 8 housing.

The $120/year Measure N tax was passed in 2014. There’s a full exemption for owner-occupants who are over 65 as of June 30 and a full exemption for low-income owner-occupants of any age.

OUSD has failed to publicize these two exemptions and imposes a rigid June 30 deadline.

Compare that to Alameda County, which sends a postcard each year reminding people to claim the homeowners exemption and provides an extended due date of Dec. 10.

If you can’t use at least a $120 tax refund, there’s nothing you have to do.

If you’re ok with losing the refund for the current year, call OUSD now and ask them to put you on the list to get the form for next year. Their phone number is (510) 879-8884. Good luck.

If you agree with me that OUSD failed to adequately publicize the exemptions and should provide an extended due date, I urge you to:

Contact OUSD board member by phone, email, or letter, asking them to:

Notify every homeowner each year with a postcard instead of just a website posting. Notify all Oakland tax preparers, place ads in newspapers, put up posters at senior centers and houses of worship.

Extend the filing deadline to at least Dec 10th 2015 the way the County does for its basic homeowners exemption.

To find a list of OUSD board members, call (510) 879-8199.. The information is online at http://mapgis.oaklandnet.com/ousd/

Len Raphael is an Oakland CPA, who also works on Oakland fiscal issues and improving police accountability.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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April 26, 2024

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Black Business Summit Focuses on Equity, Access and Data

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship. Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

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Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA), answers questions from concerned entrepreneurs frustrated with a lack of follow-up from the state. January 24, 2024 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Lost Angeles, Calif. Photo by Solomon O. Smith

By Solomon O. Smith, California Black Media

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship.

Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA) was a guest at the event. He told attendees about his department’s efforts to increase access for Black business owners.

“One thing I’m taking away from this for sure is we’re going to have to do a better job of connecting through your chambers of all these opportunities of billions of dollars that are coming down the pike. I’m honestly disappointed that people don’t know, so we’ll do better,” said Omishakin.

Lueathel Seawood, the president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Joaquin County, expressed frustration with obtaining federal contracts for small businesses, and completing the process. She observed that once a small business was certified as DBE, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, there was little help getting to the next step.

Omishakin admitted there is more work to be done to help them complete the process and include them in upcoming projects. However, the high-speed rail system expansion by the California High-Speed Rail Authority has set a goal of 30% participation from small businesses — only 10 percent is set aside for DBE.

The importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in economics was reinforced during the “State of the California Economy” talk led by author and economist Julianne Malveaux, and Anthony Asadullah Samad, Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Assaults on DEI disproportionately affect women of color and Black women, according to Malveaux. When asked what role the loss of DEI might serve in economics, she suggested a more sinister purpose.

“The genesis of all this is anti-blackness. So, your question about how this fits into the economy is economic exclusion, that essentially has been promoted as public policy,” said Malveaux.

The most anticipated speaker at the event was Janice Bryant Howroyd known affectionately to her peers as “JBH.” She is one of the first Black women to run and own a multi-billion-dollar company. Her company ActOne Group, is one of the largest, and most recognized, hiring, staffing and human resources firms in the world. She is the author of “Acting Up” and has a profile on Forbes.

Chairman of the board of directors of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, Timothy Alan Simon, a lawyer and the first Black Appointments Secretary in the Office of the Governor of California, moderated. They discussed the state of Black entrepreneurship in the country and Howroyd gave advice to other business owners.

“We look to inspire and educate,” said Howroyd. “Inspiration is great but when I’ve got people’s attention, I want to teach them something.”