Home News Press Releases Archived Press Releases 2010 Press Releases Chiang Moves to Stop Bell's Unlawful Tax Rates

Press Releases

Chiang Moves to Stop Bell's Unlawful Tax Rates

SACRAMENTO – Today State Controller John Chiang notified Los Angeles County that for years the City of Bell has charged higher property tax rates than allowed by State law.

The overcharges were discovered during the initial phase of the Controller's audit into the City of Bell's finances. Property owners in the city paid an estimated $3 million in extra taxes during the past three years.

“While my investigation into the City of Bell continues, these unlawful taxes must stop immediately,” said Chiang. “Homeowners and property owners should not pay the price for this poor fiscal management.”

The Controller's letter explains that Bell's City Council began raising property tax rates in 2007 to pay for pension obligations, even though State law caps those taxes at the rate used in fiscal year 1983-84. Property taxpayers saw their assessments for pension obligations rise from .187554% in 2007 to .277554% in 2010.

The letter instructs the County to reduce the property tax rates as quickly as possible. The lower rates would deliver, for example, an estimated $250 in annual savings on a property worth $275,000.

####