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This podcast is available to all subscribers. However, our exclusive “One More Thing” feature, in which we ask our weekly guest an additional question, is reserved for paid subscribers. You can get a free trial upgrade below… In the “one more thing” video, we discuss how the Attorney General repeatedly abuses his authority to craft the titles and summaries of ballot measures.
🎙️ This Week on the So, Does It Matter? Podcast — Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
This week, So, Does It Matter? welcomes back Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, for a wide-ranging and consequential conversation focused on taxes, ballot measures, and the future of California’s taxpayer protections. I am Jon Fleischman, publisher of So, Does It Matter?, and this episode centers on a moment when California taxpayers finally have an opportunity to go on offense.
The discussion opens with a deep dive into the Save Proposition 13 ballot measure — why it is needed now, how courts and the Legislature have weakened Prop 13 over time, and what this initiative would do to restore voter protections, reinstate the two-thirds vote for local tax increases, and rein in abusive real-estate transfer taxes. Coupal explains how everyday Californians can directly help qualify the measure for the ballot and why this fight represents a rare chance to shift momentum back toward taxpayers.
From there, the conversation turns to one of the most aggressive tax proposals in California history: a proposed 5 percent wealth tax on billionaires backed by public-employee unions. We examine how the tax would work, why it raises serious constitutional and economic concerns, and how its ripple effects could extend far beyond the small group it claims to target — including capital flight, job losses, and the creation of a permanent state “wealth-tracking” apparatus.
The episode closes on a more personal and reflective note, as Jon Coupal and I remember Joel Fox, the former president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a lifelong champion for taxpayers, who passed away last weekend after a long battle with cancer. We reflect on Joel’s legacy, his role in professionalizing the taxpayer movement, and the lasting impact he had on California public policy and on those who worked alongside him.
It is a candid, substantive conversation that blends policy, politics, and personal remembrance — and one that underscores both the stakes and the opportunities facing California taxpayers right now.
🎥 Watch the full conversation above — and find the video and podcast players below.
Listen Now
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Useful Links…
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association website [ [link removed] ]
Save Prop 13 Ballot Measure Website [ [link removed] ]
HJTA on X [ [link removed] ]
HJTA President Jon Coupal on X [ [link removed] ]
Jon Fleischman on X [ [link removed] ].
Learn more about Jon Coupal. Last year, we published a full profile of this significant California influencer here [ [link removed] ].
One More Thing…
Below the paywall, you’ll find One More Thing — Usually, the “one more thing” would be an extra question or back and forth with our guest. Jon and Jon discuss the Attorney General’s responsibility to craft the Title and Summary of ballot measures and how this authority has been repeatedly abused.
Join the growing community of hundreds of readers who get 100% of Jon’s reporting and analysis. Free subscribers see about 60%—but the whole picture, the deeper dives, and the extras are reserved for paid members. If you value independent journalism that cuts through the noise, this is the place to stand with me. All the reasons to upgrade are right here [ [link removed] ]—come inside. It’s priced at less than half of what Substack recommends… Start with a free trial!...

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