David Dodson (California)

David Dodson (Democratic Party) ran for election to the California State Board of Equalization to represent District 4. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Dodson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

David Dodson was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1978 to 1985. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 1986. His career experience includes working as an administrator for the California State Board of Equalization and as a real estate appraiser for the Los Angeles County Assessor.^[1]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Incumbent Mike Schaefer defeated David Dodson in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Mike Schaefer (D)	58.8	1,241,062
	David Dodson (D)	41.2	867,945

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,109,007
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Schaefer (D)	35.9	597,948
✔		David Dodson (D)	15.0	249,971
		Denis Bilodeau (R)	14.2	236,625
		Matthew Harper (R)	11.0	183,330
	Submit photo	Erik Peterson (R)	10.8	180,278
	Submit photo	Randell Economy (R)	6.6	109,975
	Submit photo	John Kelly (R)	6.4	107,319

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,665,446
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Dodson's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

2018

See also: California State Board of Equalization election, 2018

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Mike Schaefer defeated Joel Anderson in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Mike Schaefer (D)	52.2	1,559,373
	Joel Anderson (R)	47.8	1,427,566

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,986,939 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joel Anderson (R)	31.2	492,122
✔		Mike Schaefer (D)	17.0	269,044
	Submit photo	John Kelly (R)	16.7	263,294
		David Dodson (D)	14.9	234,534
	Submit photo	Ken Lopez-Maddox (D)	14.5	228,811
		Jim Stieringer (R)	3.7	58,642
		Nader Shahatit (R)	2.0	32,105

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 1,578,552
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

David Dodson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dodson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

David Dodson is a dedicated public servant who has worked at the Board of Equalization for thirty years. David Dodson runs the Southern California office of the Board of Equalization. When the legislature stripped the Board of Equalization of most duties due to the political misbehavior of some of the political Board Members David felt it was time for an experienced career professional to step up and lead the department forward. The Board was left with the Constitutional duty of overseeing California’s Property Tax System. This has been David’s life work. As a Property Appraiser, Instructor, Supervisor, and Administrator at the BOE David has developed a high level of experience, expertise, and contacts in this specialized field. A graduate in Business at the University of Arizona David also attended San Diego State University. David has worked for the Los Angeles County Assessor and proudly served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. David lives in Dana Point with his wife Penny and has two grown children.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

David Dodson is a dedicated public servant not a politician. He will lead the BOE in a professional manner.
David Dodson is an experienced expert in property tax assessment. Exactly the duties the BOE should be performing.
Property Tax assessment is a complicated process conducted by a small group of professionals. This has been David's life work.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

While David is passionate about many public policy issues it is policy regarding Property Tax assessment that is his focus. Californians deserve leaders that will protect their rights while working to create a fair and equitable system. Property tax revenues support public schools and local governments and need to be reliable. It is important to design policy that disallows loopholes while protecting fragile property tax rights. Many believe that property tax rights under Proposition 13 are written in stone and do not change. In truth, property tax laws change every year. It is often the case that politicians make changes to the laws that have substantial consequences on unsuspecting taxpayers. Many of the changes are very difficult or impractical for Assessors to implement. The first question David asks when reviewing new tax laws is who will be hurt by the tax law changes. For most working people the family home is their single largest asset and primary resource for building family wealth. It is in all of our interest to promote policy that encourages home ownership and a chance for success for all Californians. Property tax rules can have a role in addressing homelessness, income inequality, affordable housing, open space and agricultural land protections, and veteran benefits. David will use his expertise and thirty years of experience to protect the best elements of California's property tax system and encourage all Californians to thrive.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The members of the Board of Equalization are constitutional officers with a duty to provide consistency and uniformity in the administration of California's Property Tax system. The fifty-eight counties spread across the state have very different qualities and challenges that are impacted by property taxes. When the Board members are knowledgeable and engaged they should guide legislators and taxpayers to contribute to a system that is beneficial for collecting revenue while supporting families, businesses, and communities. Many special interests are continuously challenging tax laws and the people of California should be able to rely on their elected representatives to protect their rights.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I am inspired by those who are willing to put the overall good of the community above their own self interests.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I always enjoy a story of an underdog who exceeds beyond expectations to do something good for humankind.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, service, empathy, and competence.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Integrity, public servant, experienced, knowledgeable, kind, cooperative

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve the people not ones self. It must be the nature of the politician to always be wondering how will this benefit me or my career. Far to often, the personal goals of politician conflict with the interests of their constituents. The Board member should always be cognizant of the effects of their action or inaction on the economy and the individual Californians they represent. There is no greater privilege than to serve the community and put your best effort forward to improve the lives of others.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The Board of Equalization has had a recent troubled past. I would like to restore the integrity and public trust of the department by focusing on the duties of the agency rather than political opportunism. There is much that should be done to address the real problems of affordable housing, income inequality, open space protection, agricultural preservation, and just the day to day protection of vulnerable families.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Bobby Kennedy assassination. I was seven years old. My parents were campaign volunteers.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Dishwasher, age 15, six months

What is your favorite book? Why?

I liked Grapes of Wrath. It helps remind me of the ongoing struggle of well meaning families to find a place of dignity and security in this world.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Santa Claus

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The Smiths-Everyday is like Sunday.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have lived a modest but blessed life and like to remind myself of the serious struggles many people face. But, just like everyone I experience periodic struggles developing my career and raising my family. I am fortunate to have a career in enjoy and a loving and supportive family.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

While presiding over appeals is a necessary function I believe the most important duties of the Board are to communicate with the people of California about their property tax rights and changes and challenges to the system. The Board works closely with the County Assessors to ensure the property tax system is fair and equitable. The Board members should work with the legislature to review and implement common sense changes to tax law that are practical and do not create burdensome obstacles on Californians. Understanding the challenges that County Assessors face in the diverse parts of our state is critical to ensuring the health of the system.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Yes. I think most people pay little attention to the responsibilities of the Board of Equalization. Many remember the old BOE that oversaw a large variety of tax programs prior to being broken up due to political misbehavior. Today, the duties of the BOE are primarily related to property taxes. The BOE oversees the fifty-eight County Assessors and provides support and training to the Assessors. The BOE co-administers property tax exemptions and legal entity change of ownership programs with the County Assessors. The BOE directly assesses statewide utility companies and railroads. The BOE also plays a role in administering Alcohol Beverage and Insurance taxes.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

You can ask any Assessor and you will find that it takes years of experience, training, and dedication for their staff to become proficient in tackling the complicated property tax system. Unfortunately, many of the politicians who find their way to the BOE do not seem to have the time of patience to learn the processes. It is often joke that the BOE is just a weigh station for termed out politicians to receive a check while plotting their next adventure. While some experience in how government work may be helpful I believe the public is best served by career professional with this unique type of experience.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Assessment professionals spend years training and developing the expertise necessary to understand the complicated property tax system. Most have a formal education in business, accounting, or finance. Many are real estate appraisers or auditors and continue pursuing advance education throughout their careers. Public administration education, training, and skills are also important to develop the field of professional necessary to competently administer the duties of the BOE. Ideally, a Board Member would have the communications skills to provide information and advice to their constituents and to work with the Assessors and others.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

California State Board of Equalization District 4

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 23, 2021

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 23, 2021

[1]

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David Dodson (California)

Contents

Biography

Elections

2022

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Campaign finance

Endorsements

2018

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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