June 2014 California Primary Election Voter Guide: Board Of Equalization
DUTIES OF OFFICE
Serves on the Board of Equalization, the state's elected tax commission, which:
- Oversees the administration of over two dozen tax and fee programs including those for sales and use, cigarette and tobacco, alcohol and fuels.
- Serves as the appellate body for California income and franchise tax cases.
- Oversees the administration of property tax statewide
DISTRICT 1
Includes the following counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yuba
CANDIDATES
In the list below, italics designate a candidate who has accepted California's voluntary campaign spending limits and, therefore, has the option to purchase space for a candidate statement in the California voter guide. Some eligible candidates choose not to purchase space for a candidate statement.
RELATED: June 2014 Voter Guide
The expenditure limit for candidates running for Board of Equalization in the June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election is $1,361,000
- Chris Parker Democratic
- George Runner Republican
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
The order of the statements was determined by lot. Statements on this page were supplied by the candidates and have not been checked for accuracy. Each statement was voluntarily submitted by the candidate and is printed at the expense of the candidate. Candidates who did not submit statements could otherwise be qualified to appear on the ballot.
GEORGE RUNNER
Website: www.georgerunner.com
Candidate Statement: As your elected taxpayer advocate, I am working each and every day to protect the interests of you, the taxpayer. From defending Proposition 13 to fighting against tax increases on California families and businesses, I've stood firm against the special interests who want to take more of your money. That's why tax fighters like the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association support my re-election. As a businessman, I know firsthand it's not easy doing business in this state. California's tax policies should create more private sector jobs in our state, not discourage entrepreneurship. We're making progress. Working with my colleagues, we ended the government's requirement for a security deposit from new businesses, returning hundreds of millions of dollars back to their rightful owners rather than having the funds tied up in a government account. Together with other taxpayer advocates, we're fighting the unfair and illegal "Fire Fee" tax targeting homeowners and senior citizens across California. We're going to win that fight in court and return millions of dollars back to taxpayers. While in the Legislature, my accomplishments include Jessica's Law, which created the toughest sexual predator laws in the nation. I also authored California's Amber Alert, which has aided in more than 200 reunions of abducted children with their parents. I would be honored to earn your support. Visit www.georgerunner.com to learn more about my mission to protect taxpayer rights and make California government more responsive and accountable to you.
CHRIS PARKER
Candidate statement: A tax guy for California's tax board, it just makes sense.
District 2
Includes the following counties: Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa,
San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo
CANDIDATES
In the list below, italics designate a candidate who has accepted California's voluntary campaign spending limits and, therefore, has the option to purchase space for a candidate statement in the California voter guide. Some eligible candidates choose not to purchase space for a candidate statement.
The expenditure limit for candidates running for Board of Equalization in the June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election is $1,361,000
- Fiona Ma Democratic
- James E. Theis Republican
FIONA MA
Website: www.fionama.com
Candidate statement: As your Board of Equalization Member, I will work to create jobs and invigorate our economy. I first became interested in public service as a small business owner and a Certified Public Accountant advocating on behalf of local businesses. More than 20 years later, I am taking my work ethic and practical, proven track record to the Board of Equalization to fight for California taxpayers. Each year, California fails to collect eight billion dollars from the underground economy. This lack of revenue hurts hard-working Californians by shortchanging vital public service programs and hindering our economic recovery. I will put to use my years of auditing companies and my understanding of how to read and interpret financial statements to knock out fraud and the under reporting of taxes that costs California billions. I served as a Commissioner on our local Assessment Appeals Board and heard property tax appeals, got elected as a San Francisco Supervisor, and, as a member of the California State Assembly, I authored many tax related bills to help businesses thrive and keep California competitive with other states. I earned a B.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Taxation, and an MBA and have been licensed in California as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) since 1992. My goal is to help working families thrive in our golden state by ensuring that California has a fair and efficient tax collection system. I would be honored to have your vote on June 3, 2014. Thank you.
