CalTax celebrated its centennial anniversary as an association February 24 with a well-attended 100th Annual Meeting, following a special celebration in Sacramento.
Assembly Member Mike Gipson, chair of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, attended the kickoff event and presented President Robert Gutierrez with an Assembly resolution honoring CalTax’s longevity and achievements.
At the Annual Meeting, State Controller Malia Cohen presented a resolution from her office and opened the event with a speech lauding CalTax’s expertise and ability to work with elected officials to improve the state’s tax structure.
“The first founding purpose of CalTax is that we were not created to be partisan or political – our founders declared that this association would work ’to bring about, through nonpartisan and non-political means, the greatest possible economies consistent with efficiency in the collection and expenditure of public monies — so that taxes across California could be reduced,.’” Gutierrez said. “That mission still defines us. Our founders understood that government must be efficient, public dollars must be used wisely, and taxpayers deserve fairness and predictability.”
Gutierrez awarded the David R. Doerr Medal for Excellence in Tax Policy to Meredith Garwood, a longtime CalTax board member and tax policy expert representing Charter Communications. An inscription that accompanies the medal reads: “As a leader in state and national tax policy, a dedicated champion of taxpayer organizations, a supporter of the University of North Carolina, and a mentor to others in the field of taxation, your two decades of service on the CalTax Board made a lasting and transformative impact on tax policy in California and across the nation.”
The Annual Meeting also featured informative panel discussions, including:
“California Property Taxation: Trends and Challenges,” with State Board of Equalization Chair Sally Lieber; Modoc County Assessor and California Assessors’ Association President Kristen DePaul; Santa Clara County Assessor Neysa Fligor; Cris O’Neall, shareholder with Greenberg Traurig LLP; Craig Becker, partner with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP; State Board of Equalization Vice Chair Ted Gaines; and moderator Gina Rodriquez, principal in Ryan LLC’s advocacy services practice.
“Budgeting for California’s Future,” with Legislative Analyst Gabe Petek; Jason Sisney, budget director with the Office of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas; and moderator David Kline, CalTax’s vice president of communications and research.
“An Update on California Tax Administration and Appeals,” with Myriam Bouaziz, director of the Office of Tax Appeals; Trista Gonzalez, director of the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration; Selvi Stanislaus, executive officer of the Franchise Tax Board; Yvette Stowers, executive director of the State Board of Equalization; and moderator Charles Moll, partner at McDermott, Will, and Shulte.