Honoring Surf City’s assemblyman

Jenny Marder

He’s a politician for the people. That is what the Apartment Assn. of

Orange County said Tuesday when it named Assemblyman Tom Harman

Legislator of the Year.

“I’m deeply humbled and honored,” Harman said. “I’m a very strong

supporter of property rights and things of that nature.”

Harman was chosen for his support of the rental housing industry

as well as his criticism of unfair local property taxes, said Matt

Petteruto, the association’s director of public affairs.

Surf City’s assemblyman spoke out against SB 90, which would have

required apartment owners to provide receipts for all work that was

done to their apartment after the tenant had vacated, Petteruto said.

“Apartment owners were forced to provide receipt whether tenant

wanted them to or not,” said Petteruto, who felt the bill would have

placed an undue burden on property owners.

“Assemblyman Harman displayed a real dedication to property owners

and business owners through actions both in Sacramento and here in

Orange County,” Petteruto said. “His insight on bills affecting the

rental housing industry was valuable in that it helped point out

major problems in legislation that was introduced in Sacramento and

how it had a negative effect on business owners.”

Petteruto also praised Harman’s push to inform Huntington Beach

property owners about tax refund dollars owed to them after the city

lost a four-year legal battle with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.

As a former Huntington Beach City Councilman, Harman spoke out

against the property tax that the city collected illegally to help

pay for employee pensions. Since an appeals court forced the city to

refund property owners for the tax, Harman has campaigned to spread

the word throughout the city.

“I still stand by my guns,” Harman said. “It’s an illegal tax. It

was improperly collected by city of Huntington Beach, and I think the

city should act in a speedy fashion to refund property owners.”

Using his own money, Harman sent more than 34,000 claim forms to

Huntington Beach residents.

“That’s a major expenditure,” Petteruto said. “We said, ‘That’s

someone who truly cares about his constituency.’ We don’t see that a

lot -- elected officials using their own money to help their

constituents.”

The award is given every year to someone who supports business and

property rights. Harman is the first legislator to receive the award.

The Apartment Assn. of Orange County, a nonprofit organization

established in 1961, represents more than 3,000 apartment owners and

management companies.