BOE outlines multi‑year plan to replace obsolete SAPD mainframe; target go‑live 2028
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Summary
Board staff outlined a multi‑year plan to replace SAPD’s obsolete mainframe with a cloud‑based system and reported a target go‑live date of Jan. 1, 2028, subject to budget approvals.
The Board of Equalization on Oct. 21 received an update on a multi‑year project to modernize the State Assessed Properties Division’s (SAPD) legacy mainframe system.
Catherine Taylor, chief of board proceedings and operational support services, told the board the current mainframe system has become functionally obsolete, is no longer supported by its vendor and relies heavily on manual workarounds. In December 2024 the BOE began the California Department of Technology (CDT) Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL) process to acquire a cloud‑based replacement designed to improve automation, accuracy, security and taxpayer service.
Key procedural steps and dates reported to the board: - Stage 1 (business analysis) submitted to CDT on March 6, 2025. - Stage 2 (alternatives analysis) submitted July 22, 2025; BOE submitted a Budget Change Proposal (BCP) to the Department of Finance on Aug. 28, 2025. - The agency was told it will be notified whether stage‑2 is accepted if the BCP is included in the governor’s budget, with a decision anticipated Jan. 10, 2026 (confidential until then). - Staff said they are continuing stage‑3 deliverables in parallel to maintain schedule. Staff cited a target implementation/go‑live date of Jan. 1, 2028.
Deputy Director David Young and SAPD staff stressed the project’s complexity and the need for sustained funding and oversight; the project will require cooperation with CDT and the Department of Finance. The board’s information package also noted SAPD’s audit and appeals workload and the recent mailing of private railroad car tax bills (approximately $12 million), illustrating the division’s current operational demands.
Why it matters: SAPD administers assessments for state‑assessed property. Replacing the unsupported mainframe is essential to reduce manual processing, lower operational risk and improve continuity. A successful modernization could reduce error risk and improve timeliness of assessments and billing.
What’s next: Staff will report additional stage progress as approvals are granted. If the BCP is funded in the 2026 governor’s budget, BOE will move into detailed procurement and implementation phases.