{"id":17477,"date":"2026-06-03T17:43:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T00:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/?p=17477"},"modified":"2026-06-03T17:43:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T00:43:30","slug":"should-courts-scrutinize-wealth-tax-ballots-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-businesses\/should-courts-scrutinize-wealth-tax-ballots-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Courts Scrutinize Wealth Tax Ballots More?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;4px|||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=znDpumXdJFU&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"173\" data-end=\"393\"><strong>Robert F. Mancuso, former SEC attorney and CEO of Capri Capital Partners, examines the growing use of ballot initiatives to advance wealth-tax proposals and argues that such measures may warrant closer judicial scrutiny.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"864\">\n<h3 data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"864\"><em><strong>Using a recent Washington Supreme Court ruling as a starting point, Mancuso explores the differences between passing tax laws through the legislative process versus through voter-approved ballot initiatives. He discusses concerns about whether ballot initiatives targeting a small group of wealthy taxpayers could create constitutional and fairness questions, particularly when controversial tax proposals bypass traditional legislative debate and gubernatorial review.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"866\" data-end=\"1313\">\n<p data-start=\"866\" data-end=\"1313\">The article also highlights California\u2019s proposed 2026 Billionaire Tax Act and the competing campaigns surrounding the measure, while noting previous wealth-tax legislation that advanced through the state legislature but was never enacted. Mancuso contends that ballot initiatives can shield elected officials from taking positions on controversial tax proposals and raises broader questions about representation, due process, and taxpayer rights.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"1315\" data-end=\"1492\">\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta title=&#8221;Read the full article published on bloombergtax.com to explore the legal, constitutional, and policy questions surrounding wealth-tax ballot initiatives and why some believe courts should take a closer look.&#8221; button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/news.bloombergtax.com\/tax-insights-and-commentary\/ballot-initiatives-on-wealth-taxes-should-get-court-scrutiny&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Click Here&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#ff3033&#8243; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;RGBA(255,255,255,0)&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;16px||16px||true|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; border_radii=&#8221;on|20px|20px|20px|20px&#8221; border_width_all=&#8221;6px&#8221; border_color_all=&#8221;#000000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Become a member text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; link_option_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/&#8221; global_module=&#8221;5822&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4><em>We hope you&#8217;ve enjoyed this article. While you&#8217;re here, we have a small favor to ask&#8230;<\/em><\/h4>\n<p>As we prepare for what promises to be a pivotal year for America, we&#8217;re asking you to consider becoming a member.<\/p>\n<p>The need for fact-based reporting of issues important to <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> and protecting a <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-stories\/\">lifetime of savings<\/a> has never been greater. Now more than ever, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">successful families<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-stories\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> are under fire. That&#8217;s why <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> is passionately working to increase the awareness of issues important to <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> built on hard work, while continuing to strengthen our presence on Capitol Hill. The issues we fight for or against with Congress in Washington DC include high <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/income-taxes\/\">income tax rates<\/a>, possible elimination of valuation discounts, increase in capital gains <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, enactment of a wealth <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, and the continued burden of the gift <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/estate-taxes\/\">estate tax<\/a> and generation skipping <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate\/&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Become a Family Enterprise USA Member&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Become FEUSA member button&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6503&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video_slider disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Video Slider Family Business Stories 2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6670&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y9VszpRjVDM&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=03T2VODneEg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fHIxWaTwK64&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TI7P07GbNdU&#038;t=27s&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][\/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;FEUSA Statement&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; link_option_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/&#8221; global_module=&#8221;5910&#8243; saved_tabs=&#8221;all&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> promotes <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">generationally<\/a> owned <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-businesses\/\">family business<\/a> creation, growth, viability, and sustainability by <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/about\/\">advocating for family businesses<\/a> and their lifetime of savings with <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-caucus\/\">Congress<\/a> in Washington DC.\u00a0 Since 2007, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> has represented and celebrated\u00a0all sizes, professions and industries of family-owned enterprises and <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">multi-generational<\/a> employers. It is a bi-partisan 501.c3 organization.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/membership\/\">Family foundations can donate.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Hash tags &#038; Tags&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6498&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>#incometax #CapitalGainsTax #R&amp;DExpensing #DontPunishSuccess #GrantorTrusts #StepUpinBasis #likeKindExchanges #AcceleratedDepreciation #EstateTax #Deathtax #wealthtax #taxLegislation #CongressionalCaucus #incometaxrates #repealestatetax #AdvocatingForFamilyBusinesses #FamilyOwnedBusiness #WomenOwnedBusiness @FamilyEnterpriseUSA #FamilyEnterpriseUSA #FEUSA<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Robert F. Mancuso, former SEC attorney and CEO of Capri Capital Partners, examines the growing use of ballot initiatives to advance wealth-tax proposals and argues that such measures may warrant closer judicial scrutiny. Using a recent Washington Supreme Court ruling as a starting point, Mancuso explores the differences between passing tax laws through the legislative [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17479,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,92,115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-businesses","category-multi-generational-business","category-wealth-tax"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17477"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17482,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17477\/revisions\/17482"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}