Frequently Asked Question

Prop 41 requires the independent State Auditor to conduct public performance and financial audits of programs funded by proposed new taxes in order to increase transparency and accountability and drive better outcomes. Californians pay some of the highest taxes in the country – on top of our high cost of living.  Billions of our tax dollars have flowed into state programs, like homelessness efforts, with too little to show for it. We deserve better education, healthcare, infrastructure and other services in return for the hard-earned money we pay to the state. Prop 41 requires more accountability, transparency and trackable progress of programs funded by our taxes, so that we stop funding failure and start funding successful outcomes.

No. Prop 41 does not create or increase any taxes – it protects taxpayers’ interests by:1) Identifying shortcomings in programs and recommending fixes, to help deliver better results for our taxes;Reducing the waste and fraud that have cost California taxpayers billions of dollars in recent years; and Requires all taxes to comply with the state’s voter-approved spending limit – including its requirement that excess revenues get refunded to taxpayers. Prop 41 ensures taxpayers get better results, not just a bigger tax bill.

The audits are conducted by California's independent State Auditor, the state's nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, and shared broadly with the public, including in the Voter Information Guide. The financial and performance audits must:Track all program spending and assess whether it’s achieving its intended outcomes; Determine whether programs have sufficient oversight and accountability;Identify areas of waste, fraud and abuse; and, Recommend how future waste and fraud can be avoided and how programs can be made more effective.Under Prop 41, the Auditor is required to review programs funded by proposed new tax measures before voters cast their ballots and conduct ongoing audits if those measures are approved.

If the State Auditor identifies concerns about oversight, accountability or program performance, those findings are included in the Voter Information Guide so voters can make a more informed decision. If a measure is approved, future audits continue evaluating how funds are spent, identify areas for improvement, and recommend ways to make programs more effective over time – so that programs are held accountable to the people who pay for them: taxpayers. The audit doesn't decide whether a measure passes or fails; it gives voters independent information before they cast their ballot.

Every tax dollar we waste is a dollar that could actually help someone. Prop 41 doesn't cut or eliminate funding for education, healthcare or other public services. Instead, it helps ensure programs funded by taxpayers are transparent, accountable and delivering results. We deserve better services in return for the hard-earned money we pay to the state. Prop 41 requires more accountability, transparency and trackable progress of programs funded by our taxes, so that we stop funding failure and start funding successful outcomes.

No. Prop 41 does not change the initiative process or prevent measures from qualifying for the ballot. Supporters can still gather signatures, qualify initiatives and campaign for their proposals just as they do today. The difference is that under Prop 41, programs to be funded by new taxes are assessed before voters cast their ballot.  The Auditor’s findings must be posted in the Voter Information Guide, so voters have access to independent information about how programs are being managed and whether they actually need more funding. Voters deserve the ability to make informed decisions about new taxes without having to rely on information from special interests or politicians.

If a tax measure is approved, the cost of the required audits is paid from the revenues generated by that measure. If voters reject the measure, the audit costs are paid through the state's General Fund.Many statewide tax measures raise hundreds of millions – or even billions – of dollars over time. Prop 41 ensures a small investment in independent oversight helps taxpayers know whether those dollars are being spent effectively and producing the results promised.

Prop 41 requires all future state tax measures to comply with California's voter-approved constitutional spending limit. That means future measures must follow the same constitutional rules that already apply to state spending including the requirement that excess revenues be refunded to taxpayers when the spending limit is exceeded. By requiring compliance with these existing constitutional safeguards, Prop 41 protects taxpayers, reinforces fiscal accountability, and helps ensure new tax measures operate within California's established spending limits.