Story By Bob Dutton | Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:Opinion

During my time representing this region in the California Legislature my top priority was to do whatever I could to help protect and create jobs. I’ve always believed the best social program available is a good-paying, private-sector jobs.

I specifically point to my time as the Senate minority leader when I brokered a deal with Amazon in 2011 that not only helped protect thousands of small businesses in California, but also opened the door for the online giant to create several distribution centers in California, including two in the Inland Empire.

The San Bernardino Amazon Center is now up and running and has offered this job-starved region 1,000 jobs. Amazon officials announced just last month their plan to open a second distribution center in Moreno Valley that will employ another 1,400 of our local residents.

As a business owner for more than four decades, not to mention being a resident of San Bernardino County for decades, I can tell you that more jobs have been created because of the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. This landmark proposition protected residents, businesses and jobs from what had been out-of-control property tax increases.

As a former member of the California Legislature, I can attest to the desire of many who want to dismantle Prop. 13. Unfortunately, once again, this important taxpayer protection is currently under assault. I fear the result will ultimately cost this region jobs as current businesses flee the region and potential businesses will choose to operate in a more business-friendly state.

During this past legislation session there were seven different bills that have taken aim at Prop 13. One of those bills proposes the idea of a “split roll” where it would increase property taxes on commercial properties and businesses by an estimated $6 billion, according to a Pepperdine University study. A “split roll” property tax would create a loss of 395,345 jobs and would cost California’s economy a total of $71.8 billion in lost output within the first five years. Businesses have already taken a beating from the passage of Prop 30; they cannot handle another blow when they are trying to recover from the economic recession.

As a candidate to become San Bernardino County assessor, I can’t tell you how detrimental this type of legislation would be to property values in this region that has been hammered and slow to recover because of the Great Recession. Instead of headlines talking about new jobs being created, passing legislation like the “split roll” being considered or any of the other bills taking aim at Prop. 13 will result in headlines of further job losses, not only in San Bernardino County but throughout the state. Enough is enough. Any attack on any aspect of Prop. 13 is bad for homeowners, bad for business and ultimately bad for anyone who is lucky enough to have a job.

I will be keeping a close eye on Sacramento in 2014 and fighting against any legislation that even thinks about threating any aspect of this historic legislation.

Bob Dutton is a 2014 candidate for San Bernardino County assessor. He has been a member of the Rancho Cucamonga City Council and of the state Legislature.

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