There are about 200 billionaires in California and the Bay Area is home to 82 of them as of April 2025.
California voters will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 40 - a one-time five percent tax on billionaires that would fund healthcare and education.
When KALW asked people what they thought a billionaire’s responsibility is in the public sphere, they shared a range of strong opinions.
Asher House who was strolling around downtown with his friends said he thinks billionaires should pay their fair share in taxes and give back to the communities they belong to.
"They shouldn't get any special treatment just because they make a lot more than the common people like we see here on the streets," said House.
A 2026 report from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that California billionaires have about 0.2% of their wealth taxed each year.
Randy Knox was on the move during the Monday lunch rush but still wanted to weigh in. He believes that people with more resources have a responsibility to support their community.
"You should take care of those people who are more in need and more vulnerable, if you're a moral person," said Knox. "But this is capitalism, so sometimes that doesn't apply."
Danny S. Cruz is a flight attendant and has a different perspective. He said he thinks that billionaires are made to feel guilty for the money they have made.
"I believe billionaires should not be all placed into a box," he said. "I met people that have a lot of money, that worked really hard for it, and we should stop antagonizing them and start holding accountable people that form part of our system that we voted for."
A few blocks away, Danny Myers said that he didn’t feel strongly either way.
"Everybody has their own issues. Everybody has their own responsibility; live accordingly. If you feel you need to give back to the community, do it. If you don't, that's okay too."
In a poll released last week from the University of California Berkeley, numbers show that 42% of voters said that they would vote “Yes” on Proposition 40, while 50% are likely to vote “No.”
