On June 18, the California State Board of Equalization—the government board responsible for enforcing fair tax administration—released its annual report for 2008-09 announcing $48.4 billion in revenue collected. Also according to the report, in 2008-09 board programs collected approximately $4.7 billion less than the previous fiscal year, a decrease of 8.9 percent. Revenues collected by the Board of Equalization provide funding at the state and local level for public service programs related to health care, education, transportation, and public safety. The state’s share of collections totaled $36.7 billion, nearly 35 percent of all state revenue for the fiscal year. This year’s report is presented in a summarized brochure format, replacing a typically 130 page bound document. The brochure includes relevant facts about board programs and will save approximately $13,000 in printing costs. The expanded annual report is available online at boe.ca.gov. The five-member California State Board of Equalization is a publicly elected tax board. It collects more than $48 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes.
This article appears in Jun 24 – Jul 1, 2010.