By Robert Haugh
Last November, the 49ers won a major property assessment tax case that will cut their taxes by $180 million.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, here’s the breakdown of what will be lost to local government and schools:
“The Santa Clara Unified School District will continue to lose $2.4 million in revenue per year ($72 million in all) as a result of the ruling.
Santa Clara County government will take a $32 million hit over the life of the lease.
The city of Santa Clara loses $24 million in tax revenue over 30 years, according to court records.”
Wow.
That’s big news. But only the Chronicle covered it. Kudos to reporters Ron Kroichick and Lance Williams. They’ve won an award for their coverage of the 49ers and Santa Clara. It looks like they continue to beat the local media, including this website, on major stories.
Ouch.
Superior Court Judge Helen Williams rejected a lawsuit filed by Santa Clara County Assessor Lawrence Stone.
Stone was challenging an Assessment Appeals Board decision in 2019 that said the 49ers should only be taxed for half the year.
The team argues that they don’t manage the stadium year-round. The non-NFL events are managed for the City even though the team hasn’t paid the City any revenue for years.
In an interview with Santa Clara News Online, Stone said that it was a “highly unusual verdict” and an “extremely complicated and technical case” for the Board.
Stone emphasized that he sued the Board and not the 49ers.
Stone said he would decide by mid-January on whether or not to appeal the case.
This is the largest property tax appeal ever to come before the Board, according to Stone.
If it stands up, it will be the biggest property tax cut in Santa Clara County history for a private, for-profit corporation.
[…] previously reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, here’s the financial damage to local schools and […]
…so, when I go on vacation or am hospitalized may I get a property tax exemption. 🙏
Very long time Niner fan, 40 year SCUSD retired teacher. Maybe Bosa can support the school district and take it as a charitable write off. Remember when players took extra jobs in the off season to support themselves?
They pay more than this amount for a couple of players, but can’t help the community that support them. Sad.
A simple Internet search reveals USA Today, NBC Bay Area, the Mercury News, ABC, the Los Angeles TImes and a whole host of other major news outlets covered the underlying decision in 2019. The same search reveals the Silicon Valley Voice, The Real Deal, Athletic Business, Evolve California, Seattle Tmes, Sports Business Journal also promoted this most recent court appeal three weeks ago.
Larry Stone is a very reputable person and has long served Santa Clara County well but so are the people in his office who sit on the Assessment Appeals Board. They don’t just deal with Levi’s Stadium, they receive a number of of requests from companies of all sizes asking the Board to reconsider accuracy of property assessments. Whatever Mr. Stone and the City of Santa Clara thinks they can come up with for an appeal better be overwhelmingly convincing.
And your point is?
Jed York broke another promise to SCUSD after getting all the board members and school administrators to back his plan to bring a pot of gold to Santa Clara. When he had them and the money started rolling in, he fleeced every entity that benefits from those tax dollars.
Surpluses can disappear in a short time.
Covid-19 is a case in point.