California Patriot Profile: Jon Coupal, Taxpayers’ Fierce Defender
As President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Jon Coupal has fought to protect Californians from runaway taxes for decades.
A Champion for Taxpayers
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, stands as California’s most consequential taxpayer champion and one of its most respected legal experts on constitutional issues. His relentless defense of fiscal restraint and property rights has saved Californians billions, earning him a reputation as Sacramento’s smartest, toughest, and most effective watchdog.
Leading the HJTA
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), founded in 1978 by Howard Jarvis to defend Proposition 13, remains California’s largest grassroots taxpayer organization. With offices in Sacramento and Los Angeles, HJTA opposes tax hikes and supports laws requiring voter approval for new taxes. Jon, who joined HJTA in 1991 as its top attorney after serving at the Pacific Legal Foundation, became president in 1999, growing its membership to over 200,000.
Safeguarding Proposition 13
Jon’s fiercest fight has been protecting Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that capped property tax rates at 1% and limited annual assessment increases. He has led HJTA in opposing every significant effort to weaken it, like Proposition 15’s 2020 “split roll” attack, which sought to tax commercial properties at market value. Jon warned, “If the business community loses its Prop. 13 protection, we’re next on the menu,” rallying homeowners to preserve their tax shield.
Battling Ballot Measures
Jon’s influence spans decades of ballot measure campaigns with significant financial stakes. Early in his career, Jon successfully defended the state’s term limit initiative, Prop. 140, before the California Supreme Court. Since then, Jon has been a strategic force from defeating Proposition 1A’s tax hikes in 2009 to challenging Proposition 5 in 2024, which would lower the vote threshold for local bonds. His 2020 lawsuit against then Attorney General Xavier Becerra exposed biased ballot language for Proposition 15, showcasing his legal acumen in holding officials accountable.
A Voice For Radio, and Print
Jon’s weekly “California Commentary,” distributed by HJTA since 2003, is a must-read for taxpayers. Published in outlets like the Orange County Register, recent column topics have included Sacramento’s failure to protect taxpayers from hidden pension costs and the misuse of bond funds for non-essential projects. His sharp, accessible style calls out Sacramento’s missteps, urging accountability with clarity and wit. He and HJTA’s VP for Communications, also broadcast a weekly radio program on KABC in L.A. and KSFO in San Francisco.
A Personal Side
A native of Bangor, Maine, Jon lives in Sacramento with his wife, Catherine, finding balance in their shared love of travel and hiking. When not battling Sacramento’s tax schemes, they explore landscapes, scaling peaks in the Sierras and beyond. Earlier this year, he and his wife spent a one-month hiking tour in New Zealand. However, his favorite hiking spots remain in California which is a large reason why he constantly reminds us that “California is worth fighting for.”
A Legacy of Impact
California’s tax environment would be far harsher without the efforts and leadership of Jon Coupal. Writing this profile proves especially meaningful because of our 25-year friendship, forged in the fight for fiscal responsibility and limited government. Hopefully, Jon’s story inspires you to join the battle to keep California’s taxpayers first.
Each week we profile a California conservative. Previous profiles have been of the late Andrew Breitbart, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, Congressman Kevin Kiley, talk radio host Dennis Prager, actor James Woods, Thomas Sowell, and Julie Hamill. You can go to the main page and search “Patriot Profile” and see them all! If you have an idea for a patriot to profile, let me know at jon@sodoesitmatter.com!