The Board of Equalization’s former duties have largely been transferred to the Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Office of Tax Appeal. 

If you have no idea what the California State Board of Equalization is or what it does, you’re not alone.

The obscure agency, made up of four elected officials and the state controller, is the only elected tax board in the country. It was created by constitutional amendment in 1879 to limit corruption among county assessors and ensure property taxes were assessed uniformly and fairly across the state. At its peak, it oversaw the collection of one-third of all taxes across California and employed a staff of thousands. 

Get Digital Access and Stay Informed With Trusted Local News.

Get Digital Access and Stay Informed With Trusted Local News.

But in 2017, then-Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature stripped the board of most of its duties and transferred them to the newly created Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Office of Tax Appeal. 

Article continues below this ad

Why? Because corruption at the Board of Equalization had become too blatant to ignore. 

The Chronicle editorial board has begun rolling out its endorsements for California’s June primary election. In the weeks to come, we will publish our assessments of all the state races, including the governor’s race, plus local races and ballot measures. To read more about how the editorial board makes its election endorsements, go here.Plus: Look out for the Chronicle’s Voter Guide to publish in early May, as ballots get mailed out across the Bay Area.

In 2010, a Bureau of National Affairs report examined 70 complex Board of Equalization cases and found that taxpayers were more likely to win if they or their representatives made campaign contributions to board members. A 2015 state controller’s audit found that the board had misallocated nearly $50 million in retail sales tax revenue. In 2017,........

© San Francisco Chronicle