After L.A. County scandal, Legislature OKs tax agent regulations
Reporting from Sacramento — Following the corruption charges of Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez, the Assembly approved a measure that would put property tax agents on a tighter leash.
The bill by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) would require the agents to register with the secretary of state.
It also would establish 10 prohibited property-tax related practices, including attempting to influence the actions of county officials and making campaign contributions to county assessors or candidates for such jobs.
The measure is a response to the scandal surrounding Noguez, who is suspected of accepting bribes to slash property tax assessments and is facing criminal corruption charges.
A Los Angeles Times investigation detailed the close relationship between Noguez and one tax agent, Ramin Salari, who was a major fundraiser for Noguez’s campaign. Both men face corruption charges, suspected of illegally lowering property taxes.
Ting said Wednesday that his bill, AB 2415, was a “clearly-needed bill for transparency.” The Assembly gave it final approval on a 48-25 vote; it now goes to the governor.
Follow @melmason for more on California government and politics.
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