ynthai,
Short answer: Yes, you can deduct them on you CA tax return.
Warning: Only that part of the tax that was charged as a percentage of the property valuation is deductible.
Long answer: CA matches the federal requirements for non-business property tax deduction, but allows you to deduct more that the current federal $10,000 annual limit. IRS Form 1040 Schedule A instructions (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sca.pdf) detail what portion of the total property tax can and cannot be deducted. CA makes a point of underlining the non-deductibility of flat fees. On a CA property tax statement, the amount that is deductible is subtotaled just under the list of taxes that are calculated as percentages of the value of the property.
