The legislative year starts at the beginning of September. From September to December, each legislator decides what they want to introduce for the next year. Below is a Legislative Request that I sent for the 2023 session.
November 29, 2022
Dear Governor Newsom Staff, GovOps Staff, Senate Governance and Finance Committee Members and Staff, Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation Members and Staff, and FTB Legislative Staff:
I request that you repeal Revenue and Tax Code 19179(c)(2) as this law is a violation of the California and US Constitutions. This law allows the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to penalize a taxpayer $5,000 for exercising their right to Protest. This law directly violates R&TC Sections 21010 and 20102, which guarantees the Right to Protest as a part of the California Taxpayer Bill of Rights. It is unconscionable that a law that allows the taxation agency to punish someone for exercising their rights was enacted in the first place.
This issue goes beyond civil rights. The Franchise Tax Board sends notices threatening that the Taxpayer will be assessed a penalty of $5,000 if the Taxpayer does not withdraw his Protest or alter his return as preferred by the bureau. These coercive threats of penalty violate multiple federal criminal codes, including 18 USC §1512, Tampering with a witness; 18 USC §872 and §1951(b), Extortion; 18 USC §876 and §1341, Mailing threatening communications.
Continue reading “Legislative Change Request #3 for 2023 — Repeal R&TC 19179(c)(2)”