Meeting began at 12:31 called to order by Andrew Stearns
 
Pledge: Margaret Smith
 
Inspiration: John Pencer: told a story about a father and daughter and the value of a used car. Never let yourself be undervalued. The right place and the right people will value you the right way. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you.
 
Greeter: Gae La Torre. She introduced three guests: Ken Duncan, Mike Scoggins and Jennifer Barrier.
 
Member Spotlight: Tina Orsi-Hartigan. She has been a member since 2001. Values Rotary and all of the club members. Has traveled all over the world and sees the signs of Rotary everywhere. Loves the fact that Rotary has a worldwide impact.
 
Avatar Challenge: First Car or Mode of Transportation
  • Doug: Honda 450
  • Andrew: 1969 Camaro
  • Tina: 1976 Chevy Chevette
  • Grady: 1977 Porsche
  • Jeffrey Barnett: 1962 Volvo 122 S
  • Gordon: 1968 Cutlass Convertible
  • Jamie: 1985 V8 Chevy S10
  • Michelle: 1957 Plymouth Belvedere
  • Patti: Volkswagen Jetta and 1970 Karmann Ghia
  • John Pencer: 1958 Corvette
  • Greg Smith: 1982 Ferrari
  • Lydia: 450 SL Red Mercedes
  • Rachelle: Toyota Tercel
  • Dan: 1969 BMW 2002 TI
 
Membership Minute: Lisa Cheskin. Welcomed Len, Jen and Mike. She is ordering Blue Badges for those eligible.


Red Badge Bio: Jeffrey Blum. Joked that the Bio presentations are either a therapy session, group wide intervention or used as blackmail if a member decides to quit the club! He is sensitive, impatient, intense, obsessive compulsive, and is an exercise and health food fanatic, Loves to swim, walk and bike. He is a worrywart, sarcastic and scrupulously honest. Born and raised in Kingspoint, Long Island. His father was a jeweler; his mother was the original helicopter mother and a legal stenographer. He said that her lack of cooking skills were some of his funniest memories. He graduated from Rutgers and just retired from his law practice. He is thrilled to be part of Rotary and helping to make a difference in the community.

Club Announcements:

First Thursday: June 3, 2021 at Erik and Patti van der Burg’s house, 5:30-7:30p.m. Please bring wine or a beverage and an appetizer.
Roast and Toast: June 29, 2021, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Villa Ragusa in Campbell. Purchase tickets through the email that Marty Fishman sent out.
Second Harvest Food Bank: July 10, 2021. Check with Patti for details.
Santa Maria donations bring to Marty Fishman’s office.
House of Hope, sign up to be a driver.
 

Twenty for Twenty:

Will circle back next week to our fishermen for their picture and donation.

Guest Speaker:

Larry Stone, County Assessor 

During his term in office:
Every five years, the State Board of Equalization audits them. Last four audits, they met BOE standards by 98-99%
Assessment roll has increased by 379%-$115 billion in 1995 to $551 billion in 2020
His staff increased only 3.1% during 26 years.
Santa Clara County employment increased 64% during the same period
Returned $21.3 million of the Assessor’s budget back to the County General Fund unspent
RESULT: Nearly $6 billion in property tax revenue each year for schools and local government
 
Assessed values have become a treasured commodity. Prop 13 Revolutionized property taxes. Prop 60 passed in 1986 stated that homeowners who are 55 and over can transfer their current home value to another property of equal or lesser value.  Prop 90 in 1988 expands Prop 60 to other counties but only 10 counties participated.
 
Prop 5: you can purchase a larger, more expensive home and move anywhere you want in the state and keep the same property taxes. This failed in California. Firefighters and teachers opposed this proposition.
 
Prop 58/193: Inheritance Exclusion. Children can inherit their parent’s home and retain the low assessed value. 60,000 to 80,000 property owner’s benefit.  Annual cost: 1.5 billion in property taxes.
 
Prop 19: Farmers and labor unions were big losers under this proposition. 
Prop 19 Amendment: Fair and equitable assessment is job #1.
 
Legislative, “skinny bill” provides the minimum legal backstop that assessors require to administer the parent to child provisions for Prop 19.
Over the next two weeks this bill should pass and then if you own a new home that is lesser or equal in value to your old home the assessed value will remain the same.
 
How does the assessor determine market value: usually sales and purchase prices are accepted but they must reflect the current market value.
 
Effective on April 1, 2021, Prop 19 permits eligible homeowners; 55 +. disabled persons or persons who lost their homes to wild fires or other natural disasters, to transfer their primary residence’s assessment to a replacement residence of any value anywhere in the State.
 
February 16, 2021, Prop 19 narrowed property tax benefits for inherited properties used by child or grandchildren as their continuous primary residence, or held as a family farm. 
 
Prop 19 is a constitutional amendment, additional legislation and guidance is necessary to clarify implementation.
 
All this information, forms and any questions can be answered on the Office of the County of Santa Clara Assessor’s website.
 

 
Meeting was adjourned at 1:35p.m.
 
Next Week: The speaker will be Patti van der Burg, who will give us an overview of the World Service Committee.