Exempt Seniors from Property Taxes...
Seniors shouldn't lose their homes to rising property taxes
Too many seniors—who’ve spent their lives working, raising families, and contributing to our community—now face the heartbreaking reality of rising property taxes on fixed incomes. This can turn the dream of retirement into a financial nightmare.
While California offers partial relief through programs like the Homeowners’ Exemption, the Property Tax Postponement Program, and economic hardship appeals, these are piecemeal solutions that are often complicated to navigate. They don’t go far enough to ensure true housing security for seniors. Unfortunately, seniors facing financial hardship are often targeted by predatory lenders and scams. By making property tax relief simple and accessible, we can help protect them from falling into these traps.
That’s why I’m fighting for a full property tax exemption for all qualifying seniors—because our seniors deserve to age with dignity in the homes they built their lives around. Seniors have contributed to our community and our economy for decades, and in their golden years, they should have the security of knowing their homes are truly their own.
I’m pursuing a three-part strategy.
- Advocacy at the State Level – I will work with legislators in Sacramento to draft and sponsor a constitutional amendment creating a statewide “Senior Full Property Tax Exemption.” This would protect homeowners age 65+ who live in their primary residence, with income thresholds to ensure the program targets those most in need.
- Immediate Relief Through Economic Distress Appeals – While we work toward permanent reform, I will expand and promote the existing economic hardship appeal process so seniors can get property tax reductions or deferments quickly, without legal red tape.
- Protection Until Sale – For seniors who qualify, property taxes would be waived until the home is sold. This ensures seniors can remain in their homes without financial strain.
This is about more than tax policy—it’s about respect, fairness, and keeping promises to those who’ve given so much to our county. As your Assessor, I will use my position not just to manage assessments, but to lead this fight, rally public and political support, and make sure the implementation process is seamless and accessible.
The bottom line is simple: our seniors have earned the right to stay in their homes without the fear of losing them to rising taxes—and I will make that happen.
Note: This proposal does not shift the burden onto others to make up for the property tax exemption. Instead, it calls for tackling inefficiency in the public sector — for example, shutting down costly programs like Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation Authority light rail and buses, which lose billions every year.
Note: California’s State Controller’s Property Tax Postponement Program lets eligible homeowners—seniors, blind, or persons with disabilities—defer current-year property taxes on their principal residence, depending on their income and equity qualifications.
TRIVIA:
Sixty-five percent think that property tax limits passed in 1978’s Proposition 13 have been mostly a good thing for California.
About a third of adults say they are receiving poor value from the taxes they pay, while less than a quarter believe they receive good value from paying these taxes.
Repeal California's Prop 19 - "The Death Tax"
Here are three reasons why:
The Death Tax punishes families twice — after paying taxes their entire lives, Californians are taxed again when passing down their home or savings.
It forces heirs to sell family homes or small businesses just to cover the tax bill, tearing away generational security.
It drives wealth and jobs out of California, discouraging families and entrepreneurs from planting roots in our state.
Rishi Kumar's Long Standing Support for Seniors
As a Saratoga City Councilmember, I supported Saratoga’s designation as an “Age-Friendly City.”
I also launched the annual Saratoga’s Got Talent competition—bringing youth and seniors together while raising over $25,000 for the Saratoga Senior Center, funding that was very much needed.
When COVID-19 struck in March 2020, I made a decision that defined my approach to public service: I suspended my congressional campaign. “When we’re in crisis, we help,” I told my team.
I mobilized hundreds of grassroots volunteers to form the Neighborhood Pandemic Preparedness Team (NPPT), modeled after Neighborhood Watch. Our mission was simple—no one gets left behind. We reached 86,000 seniors, delivered groceries, picked up prescriptions, and even dropped off favorite coffees. Volunteers sewed 4,000 masks for the Valley Medical Foundation, launched a COVID-19 information hub, and organized 25+ virtual Reality Check with Rishi town halls featuring healthcare professionals, stimulus experts, and small business advisors.
Students who lost summer jobs joined us to lead online coding camps and entrepreneurship bootcamps, providing career guidance and tech education to hundreds of youth sheltering at home.
Through it all, I stayed focused on one thing—service. “This pandemic showed us what makes America special—neighbors helping neighbors,” I said then, and I still believe it today.
Residents noticed. One senior wrote, “Thank you for the coffee gift. It is the one constant my wife of 53 years loves in the morning in a world changing too rapidly.”
Another added, “It doesn’t matter what our political party is… thank you for all that you are doing to help others!”
My actions during the pandemic weren’t about politics—they were about people. In a moment of fear and uncertainty, I chose service over self-interest.
That same compassion for seniors, commitment to community, and problem-solving leadership is exactly what I’ll bring to the Assessor’s Office.
