Chairman Jerome E. Horton Looks Back at Five Successful Years as Longest Consecutive Serving BOE Chairman Since 1946

Dated February 23

Every year the Board of Equalization (BOE) has the option of selecting a chair who is responsible for facilitating the meeting; otherwise the chair shares the same duties, responsibilities, and authority as the other members. Chairman Horton has placed on the February 2016 agenda a recommendation to rotate the chairmanship among all members and to give the members more say over the agenda process.

“It’s time to allow other members an opportunity to chair the Board, allowing me to focus on specific projects such as my Campaign Against Poverty, working towards salary parity for state employees and combating criminal business activities,” said Chairman Horton. “With over 27 years of BOE experience, I find it is wise to allow each member an opportunity to serve as Chair during their term in office.”

Chairman Horton was appointed to the Board in 2009 and re-elected in 2010 with an overwhelming 89.8% of the vote. He was elected Chair on January 26, 2011, and is the longest consecutive serving BOE Chairman since 1946.

Chairman Horton has led the agency through a number of milestones and accomplishments. He’s also worked on more than 38 initiatives to increase government efficiency, level the playing field for California taxpayers, fight human trafficking, combat poverty in California, and help taxpayers start, grow and expand their businesses in California.

His work has included providing seniors and low-to-moderate income families with tax assistance at many BOE-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) events. VITA fights poverty through helping people file their tax returns and claim refundable tax credits.

Chairman Horton enhanced the BOE’s educational services through his Professional Development Training initiative. His Support Our Stakeholders initiative helped assist Californians with starting, growing, and expanding their businesses domestically and internationally. He’s sponsored other taxpayer-helping events including Connecting Women to Power Business Conferences, small business seminars, international trade conferences, and nonprofit symposiums.

Also initiated under Chairman Horton’s leadership was the BOE’s Centralized Revenue Opportunity System (CROS). CROS will replace the BOE’s outdated computer systems with a new system that will maximize the effectiveness of staff operations, generate an estimated annual net increase of $200 million in previously unidentified revenue, and provide other efficiencies to benefit California businesses.

Due to Chairman Horton’s leadership and government-efficiency efforts, the BOE has increased resolutions to tax appeals, expanded customer service and helped California taxpayers minimize the burden of taxation in California.

As brainchild for the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement (TRaCE) Task Force and author of the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act and several other anti-crime measures, Chairman Horton has lead the way in fighting the underground economy, which deprives all Californians of revenue needed to provide necessary public services.

“I am most proud of our internship and mentorship program that provides women and minorities an opportunity to work with state government and our campaign against poverty that has helped seniors and poor- to middle-class Californians claim billions in tax credits and increase their access to state, federal, and local resources to improve their quality of life,” said Chairman Horton.

For a complete list of initiatives launched by Chairman Horton, visit his website.

Re-elected in 2014, Chairman Jerome E. Horton is the Third District Member of the California State Board of Equalization, representing more than 9.5 million residents in Ventura County and portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. He was first elected to the Board of Equalization in 2010. Chairman Horton also serves as the Board of Equalization’s Property Tax Committee Chairman.  He is the first to serve on the Board of Equalization with more than 21 years of experience at the BOE. Horton previously served as an Assembly Member of the California State Assembly from 2000-2006.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects $60 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes.  For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

Note: This news release may discuss complex tax laws and concepts. It may not address every situation, and is not considered written advice under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6596. Changes in law or regulations may have occurred since the time this news release was written. If there is a conflict between the text of this news release and the law, decisions will be based upon the law and not this news release. For specific help, please contact the BOE at 1-800-400-7115.