Prop 40: One-time billionaire tax
Imposes One-Time Tax on Certain Taxpayers
Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. A change to the California Constitution and state law that voters put on the ballot by signing petitions.
In plain English
Proposition 40 would charge a one-time tax on billionaires who lived in California on January 1, 2026. The tax would be 5 percent of net worth (assets minus debts). Real estate, pensions, and retirement accounts generally would not count. Ninety percent of the revenue must go to health care. The rest must go to education, food assistance, and running the tax. Spending limits and school funding rules would not apply to this tax money. The state probably would collect tens of billions of dollars over several years. Running the tax could cost tens of millions of dollars a year. Some billionaires may cut income tax payments, such as by leaving California. That could reduce state income tax revenue by less than $1 billion a year.
A YES VOTE MEANS
The state would collect a one-time tax from billionaires equal to 5 percent of their wealth.
A NO VOTE MEANS
The state would not collect a one-time tax from billionaires equal to 5 percent of their wealth.
Official Spanish text from the California Official Voter Information Guide.
Source: official voter guideOfficial ballot label
The exact words on your ballot. Tap to read.
IMPOSES ONE-TIME TAX ON CERTAIN TAXPAYERS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE. Imposes 5% tax on certain taxpayers with assets over $1 billion; revenue primarily for health care. Exempts revenues from constitutional requirements for school funding and spending limit. Fiscal Impact: Temporary revenue increase of tens of billions of dollars spread over several years from wealth tax on billionaires. Possible ongoing decrease of less than $1 billion per year in income tax revenue from billionaires.
Source: LA County Registrar, measures on the ballot
Official text in English. Read the official Spanish voter guide.
Official arguments
Written by supporters and opponents and printed in the official state voter guide, word for word. Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.
Official text in English. Read the official Spanish voter guide (PDF).
Argument for
By supportersSigned by Suzanne Jimenez, Victoria Barron, and Denise Robb. Tap to read.
YES ON PROP. 40 TO TAX BILLIONAIRES
Trump's "Big, Ugly Bill" slashed funding for healthcare in California to pay for more billionaire tax breaks, eliminating coverage for over a million Californians and doubling health insurance premiums for millions more. Vote YES on Prop. 40 to make billionaires finally pay their fair share in taxes and stop sticking the middle class with the bill.
FUND HEALTHCARE, NOT BILLIONAIRE TAX BREAKS
Prop. 40 makes approximately 200 California billionaires pay a modest, one-time tax on their global wealth to keep local hospitals and ERs open and healthcare affordable for millions of Californians.
It will raise about $100 billion to replace the funding Trump and his billionaire donors took from working people to line their pockets. The funds will go to life-saving medical care for seniors, veterans, and families. It will allow millions of Californians to keep their health insurance and not see their premiums skyrocket. It will prevent mass teacher layoffs in our public schools and keep children fed through food assistance programs.
BILLIONAIRES SHOULD PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE
You pay your taxes out of every paycheck, but billionaires pay much lower rates than working families. They insist on paying less, even as they get bigger and bigger tax breaks.
Prop. 40 enacts a one-time tax paid ONLY by Californians worth more than $1 billion, a small group of people who together hold $2 trillion in wealth - most of which will never be taxed due to loopholes that favor the ultra-wealthy.
Billionaires amassed their extreme wealth on the backs of the middle class, and we have a chance to make them pay their fair share so WE aren't stuck paying more for healthcare.
BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTS PROP. 40
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders strongly supports voting YES on Prop. 40, even if some politicians in Sacramento are protecting billionaires over working people.
"The idea that [billionaires] are saying it's ok for children to die, for people not to get the healthcare they need, that they're going to punish the people of California - it's outrageous."
- U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
DON'T BELIEVE THE BILLIONAIRES' LIES
A small group of morally bankrupt billionaires is spreading lies about Prop. 40, because they want working people to foot the bill for their tax breaks.
Google founder and Trump donor Sergey Brin's wealth has DOUBLED to nearly $300 billion since Trump's election. Now he's spent over $57 million to oppose Prop. 40. He'd rather millions of Californians lose healthcare than pay his fair share in taxes.
Billionaires like Brin have bought and paid for some corrupt politicians and organizational leaders to also oppose Prop. 40 - but actual teachers, Planned Parenthood workers, nurses, and union members support it. Those opposing Prop. 40 have not put forth any viable solution to replacing the funding Trump took from us.
Of course these billionaires and their puppets don't want a billionaire tax, but you should - because someone has to pay, and working people are already paying enough for healthcare.
SAVE LIVES. TAX BILLIONAIRES.
Suzanne Jimenez, Chief of Staff
SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West
Victoria Barron, Patient Access Specialist
Planned Parenthood of Pacific Southwest
Denise Robb, Ph.D., Member of American Federation of Teachers
Local 1521
Los Angeles College Faculty Guild
Reply to the argument for
By opponentsSigned by April O'Connor, Rob Gutierrez, and Chris Hannan. Tap to read.
CALIFORNIA'S EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, PUBLIC SAFETY, LABOR AND BUSINESS LEADERS ALL OPPOSE PROP. 40's FLAWED TAX SCHEME
Prop. 40 is a flawed tax scheme that will damage our state while taxpayers pay the price.
Here's why a broad coalition of California teachers, doctors, clinics, hospitals, firefighters, taxpayers, blue-collar labor unions, businesses, Democrats and Republicans oppose 40:
- Prop. 40 won't fill any funding gap - IT WILL COST CALIFORNIA $25 BILLION in lost revenue for schools, healthcare and public safety.
- Prop. 40 won't fix healthcare or lower costs for consumers - it's a blank check that ALLOWS THE LEGISLATURE TO GIVE BILLIONS TO HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES, with no guarantees struggling families see a single cent to help them with high healthcare costs.
- Prop. 40 won't help schools: it exempts itself from California's voter-approved protections for school funding. That SHORTCHANGES PUBLIC SCHOOLS $3 BILLION ANNUALLY.
- Prop. 40 doesn't solve inequality in California. It just pushes out the companies and successful residents who drive California's economy, jobs and tax base - FORCING OTHER TAXPAYERS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
There's more: the French economists and the lone group behind Prop. 40 knew the money from their flawed one-time tax would run out, so they included a loophole that lets the Legislature expand the tax without a vote of the people.
Prop. 40 has no accountability or oversight, and no safeguards to ensure the money is spent as intended.
California needs stable, accountable revenue to fund our schools, healthcare and public safety - NOT PROP. 40.
Get the facts and vote no on Prop. 40.
April O'Connor, Teacher
California Teachers Association
Rob Gutierrez, President
California Taxpayers Association (CalTax)
Chris Hannan, President
State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
Argument against
By opponentsSigned by René Bravo, Francisco Silva, and Dr. Debra Schade. Tap to read.
No on 40 - FLAWED WEALTH TAX "EXPERIMENT" HURTS ALL CALIFORNIANS
Prop. 40 is a poorly designed tax scheme that will damage our economy and cost our state budget billions of dollars - without doing anything to lower healthcare costs for Californians.
This measure is a one-time tax that only provides temporary funds. When the money runs out, the politicians will be back with yet another tax.
PROP. 40 WILL COST CALIFORNIA $25 BILLION IN LOST REVENUE FOR HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION
A study by Stanford University economists found the tax will cost California $25 billion as the tax drives companies and wealthy residents out-of-state.
These residents create new businesses, drive our economic growth and already pay nearly half the income taxes that fund state programs. If they leave, it will create a huge hole in our budget, threatening core services like education, healthcare and public safety or forcing other taxpayers to make up the difference.
California's DOCTORS, HOSPITALS AND CLINICS OPPOSE PROP. 40 because the lost funding will endanger patients' access to healthcare. "Prop. 40 doesn't help the need for stable healthcare funding.
Prop. 40 makes it worse." - Jodi Hicks, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
PROP. 40 IS WRITTEN TO GIVE POLITICIANS NEW POWER TO EXPAND THE TAX
Prop. 40 isn't just a "billionaire tax." The special interests behind the measure wrote it to give the State Legislature power to amend the measure - without voter approval.
Independent legal analysis found Prop. 40 opens the door to expanding the tax to the assets of ALL Californians - to your savings, home equity and even retirement funds. www.ReadltForYourself.org
PROP. 40 TAXES RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Prop. 40 would be the first in California history to tax retirement accounts - a dangerous precedent. If it passes, it will inevitably be expanded to tax more Californians' retirement savings.
PROP. 40 IS A RECIPE FOR MORE WASTEFUL SPENDING
State government spending is up 79% since 2019, without delivering better results on key issues like crime, housing and homelessness. But Prop. 40 includes no accountability, transparency or oversight provisions to ensure funds are spent as intended.
Instead, Prop. 40: • Exempts itself from voter-approved constitutional protections for schools, shortchanging classrooms over $3 billion annually. www.ProtectCaliforniaSchools.org • Exempts itself from the voter-approved state spending limit, including its requirement that excess revenues get returned to taxpayers. • Includes no safeguards to prevent billions from going directly to health insurance companies and CEOs.
AUTHORS ADMIT THE ONE-TIME TAX IS AN EXPERIMENT
The French economists who co-authored Prop. 40 have unsuccessfully proposed wealth taxes in France and the European Union that were rejected due to economic concerns. They call Prop. 40 "an experiment" that may backfire but say "California is the ideal place to test their idea."
We shouldn't risk California's future on a costly economic experiment. www.WhoWroteProp40.org
PROP. 40 IS OPPOSED BY LABOR AND BUSINESS, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, TEACHERS AND FIREFIGHTERS
Prop. 40 is opposed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor, and the following organizations: California Teachers Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, California Children's Hospital Association, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, California Conference of Carpenters, California Professional Firefighters, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, California Council for Affordable Housing, California Taxpayers Association, California Chamber of Commerce, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
Join us and vote no on this flawed tax scheme.
Visit www.VoteNoOn40.org for more information.
René Bravo, M.D., President
California Medical Association
Francisco Silva, CEO
California Primary Care Association
Dr. Debra Schade, President
California School Boards Association
Reply to the argument against
By supportersSigned by Suzanne Jimenez, Victoria Barron, and Denise Robb. Tap to read.
LET'S CHECK THE FACTS
1. Prop. 40 is a BILLIONAIRE tax. It cannot be applied to anyone else - working people already pay more than their fair share.
2. Prop. 40 will GENERATE $100 billion to replace the healthcare funding Trump cut to fund billionaire tax breaks.
3. Billionaires pay MUCH LOWER TAX RATES compared to what working families pay out of every paycheck. DON'T LISTEN TO BILLIONAIRE LIES
The billionaires who helped Trump pass the "Big, Beautiful Bill" have spent millions to trick you into voting against a billionaire tax.
Don't be fooled. The endorsements and studies from the billionaires are hiding the truth - they're pushing a Trump agenda that protects billionaires and hurts everyday taxpayers.
ACTUAL DOCTORS, NURSES, TEACHERS, AND WORKERS SUPPORT PROP. 40
While some organizational leaders and lobbyists have sided with billionaires, the working people they're supposed to represent are standing behind Prop. 40 and urging you to vote YES. Supporters include:
California Nurses Association, Representative Ro Khanna, Doctors with the Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU, California League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE)
OPPONENTS OF PROP. 40 HAVE NO PLAN TO SAVE YOUR HEALTHCARE
The billionaires and their puppets have not put forth ANY viable solution to replacing the healthcare funding Trump took from us. They'd rather the middle class get stuck with shuttered hospitals and skyrocketing healthcare costs than pay their fair share.
Vote YES on Prop. 40.
Suzanne Jimenez, Chief of Staff
SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West
Victoria Barron, Patient Access Specialist
Planned Parenthood of Pacific Southwest
Denise Robb, Ph.D., Member of American Federation of Teachers
Local 1521
Los Angeles College Faculty Guild
Where groups stand
Every group on our list, by category. Each position links to the group's own published guide.
Label definitions Quotes are each group's own words, copied exactly.
Political parties
10 groups
State and county parties are separate groups and can take different positions.
American Independent Party
No
Their words: "Vote No on 40!"
American Independent Party Source, checked Oct 15, 2026California Democratic Party
Yes
Their words: "Proposition 40: Support"
California Democratic Party Source, checked Oct 6, 2026California Republican Party
No
Their words: "Prop 40: oppose"
California Republican Party Source, checked Oct 6, 2026Green Party of California
Yes
Their words: "YES on Prop 40: Billionaires Wealth Tax."
Green Party of California Source, checked Oct 15, 2026Green Party of LA County
Yes
Their words: "Endorse - Proposition 40 - Billionaires Tax"
Green Party of LA County Source, checked Oct 15, 2026LA County Democratic Party
Yes
Their words: "Prop 40 | One-Time Wealth Tax for State-Funded Healthcare, Education, and Food Assistance Programs Initiative | YES"
LA County Democratic Party Source, checked Oct 6, 2026LA Hispanic Republican Club
No position
LA Hispanic Republican Club Where we looked, checked Oct 18, 2026Libertarian Party of California
No
Their words: "One-Time Tax on Certain Individuals & Trusts ❌ NO"
Libertarian Party of California Source, checked Oct 15, 2026Peace and Freedom Party
Yes
Their words: "Vote YES on Propositions 3 and 40! | Prop 40 would levy a one-time 5% tax on the accumulated wealth of billionaires in California"
Peace and Freedom Party Source, checked Oct 18, 2026Republican Party of LA County
No
Their tool lists: Prop 40: NO
Republican Party of LA County Source, checked Oct 15, 2026
News outlets
5 groups
These are the only news outlets we found with published endorsements for this election. Suggest another.
Knock LA
Yes
Their words: "State Measure 40: YES!"
Knock LA Source, checked Oct 18, 2026La Opinión
No
Their words: "Editorial: la Proposición 40 sería buena a nivel nacional. Solo para California, es una mala idea | En contra, deberían estar los votantes. | La proposición 40 es una mala idea."
La Opinión Source, checked Oct 18, 2026Los Angeles Daily News
No
Their words: "Proposition 40: No"
Los Angeles Daily News Source, checked Oct 15, 2026Los Angeles Sentinel
No
Their words: "Prop 40 | NO"
Los Angeles Sentinel Source, checked Oct 18, 2026Los Angeles Times
No
Their words: "Times Editorial | Vote no on Prop. 40. It ignores education, housing and safety | Vote no on Proposition 40."
Los Angeles Times Source, checked Oct 18, 2026
Labor
9 groups
California Labor Federation
Yes
Their words: "Prop 40: Billionaire Wealth Tax Initiative Recommend: SUPPORT"
California Labor Federation Source, checked Oct 6, 2026California Teachers Association
No
Their words: "Proposition 40 - Billionaire Tax Act Oppose"
California Teachers Association Source, checked Oct 15, 2026LA County Federation of Labor
Yes
Their words: "Prop 40: Billionaire Wealth Tax Initiative - Yes"
LA County Federation of Labor Source, checked Oct 15, 2026LA County Firefighters Local 1014
No position
LA County Firefighters Local 1014 Their guide, checked Oct 18, 2026LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council
No
Their words: "2026 NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS | PROP. 40 Billionaire Tax OPPOSE"
LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council Source, checked Oct 18, 2026Los Angeles Police Protective League
No position
Los Angeles Police Protective League Where we looked, checked Oct 18, 2026SEIU Local 721
Neutral
Their words: "40 One-Time Wealth Tax for State-Funded Healthcare, Education, and Food Assistance Programs Initiative NEUTRAL"
SEIU Local 721 Source, checked Oct 18, 2026UNITE HERE Local 11
Yes
Their words: "Proposition 40: Billionaire Wealth Tax Initiative | Recommend: YES"
UNITE HERE Local 11 Source, checked Oct 18, 2026United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)
Yes
Their words: "YES | Prop 40 | Billionaires tax to protect healthcare"
United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) Source, checked Oct 18, 2026
Business
3 groups
BizFed (LA County Business Federation)
No position
BizFed (LA County Business Federation) Where we looked, checked Oct 18, 2026CalChamber
No
Their words: "Proposition 40: Imposes One-Time Tax on Certain Taxpayers (NO)"
CalChamber Source, checked Oct 6, 2026LA Area Chamber of Commerce
No
Their words: "Billionaire Tax | Establishes a one-time 5% billionaire tax to fund healthcare, food assistance, and other public services. | OPPOSE"
LA Area Chamber of Commerce Source, checked Oct 18, 2026
Civic and good government
1 group
League of Women Voters of California
Neutral
Their words: "Because we have strong positions on both sides of this measure, the League takes a neutral position on Prop 40."
League of Women Voters of California Source, checked Oct 6, 2026
Issue and advocacy groups
3 groups
Abundant Housing LA
No position
Abundant Housing LA Their guide, checked Oct 18, 2026LA Forward
Yes
Their words: "Proposition 40 - Billionaire taxSupport"
LA Forward Source, checked Oct 18, 2026Sierra Club Angeles Chapter
No position
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Their guide, checked Oct 18, 2026
Official links
About the summary
Summary drafted with AI from the official analysis and checked against it by automated review. Read the official analysis