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Committee backs five‑year extension of welfare property‑tax exemption for land trusts despite CTA opposition
Summary
AB 1668 would extend the welfare property‑tax exemption for land trusts for five years; conservation groups said the exemption helps land trusts steward 5.5 million acres and maintain public access, while the California Teachers Association registered respectful opposition.
The Committee on Revenue and Taxation voted to pass AB 1668 to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill would extend the welfare property‑tax exemption for nonprofit land trusts for five more years, preserving an existing tool advocates say is important to long‑term stewardship and public access.
Assemblymember Poonen introduced the measure and said the exemption has been in place for decades to help nonprofits buy and temporarily hold open‑space lands and later transfer them for permanent public use. Caroline Godkin, executive director of the California Council of Land Trusts, said the council represents more than 100 land trusts that together steward an estimated 5.5 million acres and asked the committee to maintain the exemption that has been in place since 1971.
Several conservation and land‑trust representatives testified in support. The California Teachers Association registered respectful opposition; a CTA representative identified themselves in the hearing record but did not expand in detail on the transcript excerpt. Committee members said they valued habitat protection and open‑space preservation and moved the bill forward; the item was placed on call and later reported out with unanimous committee votes recorded when final roll calls were completed.
AB 1668 will be considered next by Appropriations, where fiscal impacts and any concerns raised by opponents may be addressed.
