DISTRICT 3
Biography
Elected to the Board of Equalization in 2006, Michelle Steel serves as the country's highest ranking Korean-American officeholder and California's highest ranking Republican woman. A successful businesswoman and renowned taxpayer advocate, Steel represents more than eight million people in the Third District, which includes the counties of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino.
In just her first year on the job, Michelle Steel quickly distinguished herself as the state's leading tax fighter. Steel’s hallmark first-term achievement was the discovery of a $42 million mistake in the agency’s tax refund procedures. Following Steel’s investigation, the agency refunded tax security deposits worth upwards of $50,000 each to over 5,500 small businesses.
As Southern California’s elected taxpayer advocate, Steel is on the frontlines of California’s perennial battle against higher taxes. In 2008, she successfully led the fight against a new iTax, a $500 million tax on digital downloads. Michelle's commitment to taxpayers began three decades ago when she watched her mother fight an unwarranted Board of Equalization tax bill. As an immigrant small business owner, Michelle's mother lacked the resources to successfully fight a massive state agency and reluctantly acceded to the Board's demands.
One of California's fiscal officers, Michelle promises to protect taxpayers from the overbearing government that her family encountered. A signatory of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Michelle Steel will oppose all new taxes and tax increases. When adjudicating tax appeals, she will always presume that a taxpayer is innocent until proven guilty.
Before taking office, Steel served as Deputy Board of Equalization Member to Claude Parrish. Her public policy experience also includes service as a Member of the California Orange County Deputy District Office: KA Community Commission and Member of the Tax Advisory Committee for the State Board of Equalization. She has served on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, California World Trade Commission, L. A. County Department of Children and Family Services, and Los Angeles Airport and Fire Commissions.
Recognizing her extensive public policy experience, the President appointed Steel to the White House Conference on Aging, her second presidential appointment. Michelle also serves as a Board Member for the Korean American Republican Association and as an Honorary Chair of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign.
Michelle Steel has spent her life actively involved in her community, beginning as a Radio Seoul Commentator- a position she continues to hold. She has been an instrumental volunteer for several youth organizations, including Options House, a local emergency shelter helping runaway children, and the Coalition of Brothers and Sisters Unlimited, an African-American after-school program.
Educated in Korea, Japan, and the United States, Michelle holds a degree in Business from Pepperdine University and is fluent in Korean and Japanese. Michelle and her husband, Shawn, live in Palos Verdes, where they are raising their two children - Cheyenne, 21, and Siobhan, 18.