1 BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION 2 5901 GREEN VALLEY CIRCLE 3 CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA 4 5 6 7 8 REPORTER'S TRANSCRIPT 9 FEBRUARY 23, 2017 10 11 12 13 14 15 ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 REPORTED BY: Kathleen Skidgel 28 CSR NO. 9039 1 1 P R E S E N T 2 3 For the Board of Equalization: Fiona Ma, CPA 4 Chairwoman 5 Diane L. Harkey Vice Chair 6 Jerome E. Horton 7 Member 8 Sen. George Runner (Ret.) Member 9 Yvette Stowers 10 Appearing for Betty T. Yee, State Controller 11 (per Government Code Section 7.9) 12 Joann Richmond 13 Chief Board Proceedings 14 Division 15 16 ---oOo--- 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 2 1 5901 GREEN VALLEY CIRCLE 2 CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA 3 FEBRUARY 23, 2017 4 ---oOo--- 5 MS. MA: Next item, Ms. Richmond? 6 MS. RICHMOND: Our last item for today is 7 an administrative matter, the organization of the 8 Board. There are two items; they may be taken up 9 separately or together. 10 MS. MA: Yes. So I just want to reiterate 11 from last year. At the Culver City Board meeting 12 last February, the Board voted 3-2, with Ms. Yee and 13 myself voting in the minority, to rotate the Chair 14 annually at the conclusion of the February meeting, 15 this February -- or last February meeting by 16 equalization districts in the order of District 2, 17 District 4, District 1. 18 The Board also unanimously chose to rotate 19 the Vice Chair at the same time with the Member 20 scheduled to become Chair the following year. 21 The Board also voted 4-1 that the Chair 22 will recommend committee chairs, which will then be 23 ratified by the Board in the open session. 24 Following the Board's vote last year on the 25 sequence of the Chair rotation, I motioned to make 26 the rotation of the Chair to Board Member Harkey and 27 Vice Chair to Board Member Runner, effective 28 immediately. 3 1 Any discussion? 2 MS. HARKEY: I'll second it. 3 MS. STOWERS: That was a -- so that was a 4 motion? 5 MS. MA: That was my motion. 6 MR. RUNNER: Well, we don't have to 7 actually vote on it. We're just continuing -- 8 MR. HORTON: Yeah. 9 MS. MA: Yeah. But I think, you know, 10 because it was 2 and 4 and 1, that's not really a 11 name. So we still have to say -- 12 MR. HORTON: I'd second it, Madam Chair. 13 MS. MA: -- "Chair Harkey" -- okay. 14 So I made a motion. Mr. Horton seconded. 15 Turn over the gavel to, um -- to the new Chairwoman 16 Diane Harkey and Vice Chair Mr. Runner. Okay. 17 MS. HARKEY: I really am so -- I'm honored 18 to be doing this. I have never -- I have never 19 worked with a more educated, well-informed, talented 20 Board. And that doesn't -- that doesn't set aside 21 any of the wonderful people I've worked with in the 22 past. 23 But this Board is, in my opinion, extremely 24 talented. Each one has a skill set that is beyond 25 what I have been able to work with before and I 26 learn from each one. You know, there's just a lot 27 of knowledge here and a lot of political experience, 28 as well as practical experience on the ground. 4 1 I mean to have a CPA, to have Ms. Stowers 2 who is so legal in her analysis, and to have Mr. 3 Horton who has -- who has been in the Legislature as 4 well as a Member of the Board, an auditor, and to 5 have Mr. Runner who has been at every level of 6 government service, it's just -- and truly on this 7 Board for what, four years -- it's truly an honor 8 and a privilege to be Chair of this Board, and I 9 want to thank everyone for their support. 10 I will be soliciting input on committees, 11 and I thank you all very much. 12 MR. HORTON: Madam -- Madam Chair Ma. 13 MS. MA: Mr. Horton. 14 MR. HORTON: Members, I think it's 15 appropriate for us to acknowledge the outstanding 16 work of Chairwoman Ma. I mean she has really been a 17 leader on -- in the legislative area, advancing 18 legislation. She's been a leader with the 19 organization. She took on a number of assignments 20 on behalf of this Board and I believe did an 21 exceptional job. 22 So my appreciation and recognition of her 23 work publicly. And thank you, Madam Chair, for a 24 year of service. 25 MS. HARKEY: You got us organized. 26 MS. MA: Okay. Ms. Stowers. 27 MS. STOWERS: I'd just like -- ditto, thank 28 you, Madam -- former Madam Chair. Great job. 5 1 Looking forward to the new Chair and new Vice Chair 2 and an exciting 12 months. 3 MS. MA: Thank you. 4 MR. RUNNER: I'll just -- 5 MS. MA: Mr. Runner. 6 MR. RUNNER: I'll bat cleanup here. 7 I appreciate -- I appreciate the -- again, 8 the opportunity that we all have to serve. And I 9 think that's one of the hallmarks of this 10 organization is that we're able to focus on the role 11 of the job and accomplish good things together. 12 I, too, want to -- to congratulate the new 13 Chair and -- in this process. And then also, again, 14 thank Member Ma, too, for her leadership in this 15 process. And, again, I think maybe we'll probably 16 do a little more recognition and prepare at the next 17 meeting in regards to that. 18 MS. HARKEY: Right. Sure will. 19 MR. RUNNER: But I think certainly it's an 20 opportunity for us to move forward and continue to 21 do the good things that the Board does. 22 MS. MA: Thank you. And I just want to 23 echo Ms. Harkey that I do think this Board takes our 24 role very seriously in terms of hearing the cases, 25 as well as the administration of the agency. And 26 it's just an honor to be here. 27 It was an honor to serve as a Chair for a 28 year. It was a great learning experience and look 6 1 forward to Ms. Harkey's leadership. 2 MS. HARKEY: Thank you. I only hope I do 3 as well at keeping everything going as you do. 4 Thank you. 5 MS. MA: Well, running the Assembly kind of 6 gave me practice. 7 MS. HARKEY: I think so. I think so. 8 MS. MA: Thank you. Thank you. 9 ---oOo--- 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 7 1 REPORTER'S CERTIFICATE 2 3 State of California ) 4 ) ss 5 County of Sacramento ) 6 7 I, Kathleen Skidgel, Hearing Reporter for 8 the California State Board of Equalization certify 9 that on February 23, 2017 I recorded verbatim, in 10 shorthand, to the best of my ability, the 11 proceedings in the above-entitled hearing; that I 12 transcribed the shorthand writing into typewriting; 13 and that the preceding pages 1 through 7 constitute 14 a complete and accurate transcription of the 15 shorthand writing. 16 17 Dated: July 17, 2017 18 19 20 ____________________________ 21 KATHLEEN SKIDGEL, CSR #9039 22 Hearing Reporter 23 24 25 26 27 28 8