California 99.23%
New Jersey 0.77%
Mike Schaefer made history in 2019 when he became the oldest freshman constitutional officer in state history taking his Oath of Office from Governor Gavin Newsom as a member of the California State Board of Equalization.
He served as the youngest person ever elected to the San Diego City Council at 27 years old, where he served for two terms.
Mike Schaefer, "The Equalizer," is proud to serve as your Elected Taxpayer Advocate on the State Board of Equalization Fourth District, serving 10 million of you, his constituents, in the counties of San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernardino.
Mike was elected by his colleagues unanimously in December 2021, to serve a third term as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization.
“I will continue to fight for tax justice and equity for all Californians and serve as a fiscal watchdog with oversight responsibilities for the $77 billion property tax system, which funds schools and local government services, our constituents count on,” Schaefer said.
Mike Schaefer is proud of his work on behalf of taxpayers across California as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization, the only elected tax board in the country.
When the pandemic struck, Vice Chair Schaefer worked with Governor Newsom to initiate an Executive Order which aided small businesses by postponing penalty deadlines for property tax statements helping to keep them afloat during trying times.
Mike Schaefer co-led a 50-person statewide COVID-19 Task Force creating many innovative solutions to protect taxpayers and reform tax laws.
As our Vice Chair, Mike Schaefer has been a taxpayer advocate for all Californians, helping families, individuals, veterans, and seniors to navigate changing property tax laws including the implementation of Proposition 19.
That’s why Mike Schaefer is affectionately known as “The Equalizer.”
Mike was born and raised in San Diego, attended San Diego State and Notre Dame University, received his business degree from U.C. Berkeley, and earned his law degree from Georgetown University. He worked as an investigator and financial analyst for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., and began his legal career in the San Diego City Attorney’s office, before going into private practice and becoming a champion for fair and equitable election law.
Mike has been a leader in his local Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs and is an active supporter of the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Animal Rescue Mission.
