California Dems Endorse Fiona Ma

Fiona is a member of CalCPA and serves on CalCPA's Public Policy Task Force and is uniquely qualified to lead the Board of Equalization in attacking a growing underground economy that robs education and public safety agencies of vital revenues they need a

LOS ANGELES, (March 10, 2014) – California Democrats are backing Fiona Ma for the District 2 seat on theState Board of Equalization. Fiona, a former Assembly speaker pro tempore, earned her party’s backing at the 2014 California Democrats State Convention held March 7-9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. 

Over the weekend, more than 2,000 delegates from across the state gathered under the theme, “Renewing California by Advancing Our Values," and reminded Californians that over the past three years – under Democratic Party leadership – how the Golden State pulled itself out of fiscal doldrums, stopped cuts to education, balanced its budget and is again investing in its future. 

“As the oldest child of immigrant parents, I am grateful for my piece of the American dream,” Fiona said. “For the past 20 years, I have served the public and helped to level the playing field. I am proud to be a California Democrat and honored to have the support of my peers and of this great party.” 

Based on the most recent data, BOE District 2 comprises approximately 4.83 million registered voters, of which some 2.4 million are declared democrats. 

For an FAQ about the SBOE and why Fiona Ma is running, please visit: www.fionama.com/assets/pdf/FionaMa-SBOE-FAQ.pdf 

Fiona is a member of CalCPA and serves on CalCPA's Public Policy Task Force and is uniquely qualified to lead the Board of Equalization in attacking a growing underground economy that robs education and public safety agencies of vital revenues they need and should be collected. 

Fiona has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California since 1992. She holds an MBA from Pepperdine University; a master’s degree in taxation from Golden Gate University; and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY. 

Fiona is a candidate for the State Board of Equalization, District 2, comprising some 10 million residents in 23 coastal counties: Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity and Yolo. Current BOE District 2 officeholder Betty Yee has already endorsed Fiona, as have BOE Chairman Jerome Horton, State Controller John Chiang, plus six former BOE members. Yee is termed out in 2014. 

The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is the only elected tax board in the United States. The 5,000-person tax agency affects every taxpayer in California and has broad regulatory and adjudicatory powers. The BOE administers the sales and use tax, assesses property tax on electric, gas and telephone companies, as well as other utilities, and provides guidance to California’s 58 county assessors. The agency also collects more than 25 special taxes and fees, which combined with the sales and use tax, total approximately 35 percent of all state revenues. BOE members also hear corporate and personal income tax appeals from the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and the BOE chairperson serves on the three-member FTB. The five-member BOE has four elected members, plus the State Controller as an ex-officio member.