The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) welcomes new and returning Members to the Board as they have officially begun their term effective yesterday, Monday, January 2, 2023.

Board Member Sally J. Lieber starts her first term on the Board representing the Second Equalization District, which includes 19 counties extending from Del Norte County in the north to Ventura County in the south. She is a former member of the California State Assembly, previously serving on the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee and most recently serving on the Mountain View City Council.

Returning to the Board for their second terms are Board Members Ted Gaines representing the First Equalization District, Antonio Vazquez representing the Third Equalization District, and Mike Schaefer representing the Fourth Equalization District.

Board Member Gaines was first elected to the BOE in November 2018, representing the First Equalization District, which includes all or parts of 34 counties extending from Siskiyou and Modoc Counties in the north to San Bernardino County in the south. He has served 12 years in both the California State Assembly and State Senate, and as a member of the Placer County Board of Supervisors for eight years.

Board Member Vazquez was first elected to the BOE in November 2018, representing the Third Equalization District, which covers all of Los Angeles County. He is the first Latino ever elected to the BOE since its inception and has over 20 years of business and government experience, including serving as Mayor of the City of Santa Monica.

Board Member Schaefer was first 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.

State Controller Malia M. Cohen previously represented the Second Equalization District and will continue to serve on the Board as an ex officio member. Elected in November 2022 as the 33rd State Controller, her prior public service includes serving as President of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco.

Additional information on the Board can be found on the BOE website.

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.