Candidate for
State Board of Equalization; District 4; Democratic Party

The Internal Revenue Service estimates that California is losing over $27 billion in unreported taxes. The Employment Development Department has also reported billions of dollars in unreported payroll taxes and in every industry there are billions of dollars lost to business tax fraud and abuse. As a Member of the Board of Equalization, Horton's top priority is to put these illegal operators out of business and arrest unfair labor practices that eliminate good jobs.

Horton will also increase educational and administrative outreach programs to assist legitimate operators in complying with the law and he will streamline the process to expedite the outstanding $3 billion in unresolved cases and enhance the collection and compliance activities to collect the over $3 billion in accounts receivable.

With a background in accounting, finance and taxes, and with 21 years of experience at the Board of Equalization, Horton would advocate the following to increase state revenues to fully fund education and healthcare:

• Enhance compliance and enforcement with existing tax laws;
• Increase prosecution of fraudulent activities and practices;
• Reprioritize or eliminate unproductive tax credits;
• Subject specific fee increases to Proposition 98 requirements;
• Restructure state programs to maximize federal funding;
• Increase job creation bond financing in 3 areas: affordable housing, school construction and infrastructure development;
• Restrict or create job creation incentives that have a measurable enhancement to the General fund;