Mike Schaefer Continues as Vice Chair for a Third Year

Sacramento – At the December 14, 2021 Board Meeting, the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) elected Malia M. Cohen to serve as Chair and re-elected Mike Schaefer to serve as Vice Chair for 2022. Their new terms begin on January 1, 2022 for the duration of one year.

Incoming Chair Cohen will also serve as a Member of the California Franchise Tax Board along with the State Controller and the Director of the Department of Finance. She previously served as Chair of the BOE in 2019.

“It is a privilege and honor to serve again as Chair of the California State Board of Equalization,” said incoming Chair Cohen. “Looking forward to 2022, I am committed to working with my Board Member colleagues, our local County Assessors, and BOE staff to ensure that the BOE continues to provide guidance for our property taxpayers and all stakeholders.”

“I will continue to fight for tax justice and equity for all Californians, and am committed to our oversight responsibilities of the $77 billion property tax system which fund schools and local governments,” said Vice Chair Schaefer. “I am honored to be chosen by my fellow Board Members to continue my service as Vice Chair for a third year.”

Incoming Chair Cohen was elected to the BOE in November 2018, representing the Second Equalization District, which includes all or parts of the 23 counties extending from Del Norte County in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. She is the first African American woman to serve on the Board and her prior public service includes serving as President of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco.

Vice Chair Schaefer was also elected to the BOE in November 2018, representing the Fourth Equalization District, which includes the counties of San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Imperial, and a portion of San Bernardino. He is the oldest freshman constitutional officer in state history and served as the youngest person ever elected to the San Diego City Council at 27 years old.

The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is the only elected tax board in the country, and it is comprised of four Equalization District Members and the State Controller. Since 1879, the BOE’s constitutional and statutory duties include the oversight of the 58 County Assessors to ensure assessment practices are uniform and consistent statewide. In addition, the BOE directly assesses the property of regulated railroads and certain public utilities, collects the Private Railroad Car Tax, and is responsible for the Alcoholic Beverage Tax and Tax on Insurers.  BOE’s critical role in property tax administration by promoting fair and equitable assessments protects the tax dollars that schools, local communities, and the State of California depend on every day.