Taxes
Blog
Bears, Vetoes, and Recalls
What do a man in a bear suit, a recall, and California Governor Gavin Newsom have in common? They are all part of a stranger than fiction story about the latest bill to fall victim to the Governor’s veto pen. This week, Governor Newsom vetoed California Senate Bill 660. Don’t ...
California
California Government Awash in Money Now, But a Reckoning Lies Ahead
Did a member of the California Legislature inadvertently, and quite publicly, admit that “progressive” governance is unsustainable? While discussing the state’s eviction protections and financial aid for renters during a CalMatters podcast, Assemblyman David Chiu, a San Francisco Democrat, said “If we run out of money, all bets are off.” This ...
Blog
Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”
Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy. This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino. Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino. For think ...
Blog
Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike
“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Agriculture
Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike
Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Blog
Extra Time to File Doesn’t Mask Pain of California’s Huge State Tax Burden
California taxpayers – and all Americans were given a bit of breathing room this year when the IRS announced that this year’s tax deadline would be May 17th, instead of the usual April 15th. The extra month given us to pay and file our 2020 taxes doesn’t mean that Californians ...
Business & Economics
Replace gas tax with more efficient, fairer mileage fee
California policymakers have spent years debating how to pay for road and highway repairs. President Biden’s current infrastructure plan brings that debate to the national stage. Like its peers, California relies on a gas tax and registration fees to pay for infrastructure. But policymakers should cut registration fees and replace ...
Blog
Maybe It Won’t Be So Easy to Pass These Tax Hikes
Much of the political energy in Sacramento and Washington lately has focused on taxes. Speculation has focused on which taxes liberal politicians will raise, and by how much. While pundits are all but declaring it a fait accompli, two recent developments suggest it will be more difficult than first thought. ...
Agriculture
What Secretary Yellen and Chairman Powell’s Congressional Testimony Mean
There’s a great parable relayed in the movie Charlie Wilson’s War between Rep. Charles Wilson and CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, played by Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It’s about a Zen master and a boy. The Zen master repeats the phrase, “we’ll see,” while others in the fable quickly ...
Blog
Government Mandates Big Reason Why Californians Pay More for Gas
Gas prices in California and across the country have been rising sharply since the start of the year. According to the Orange County Register, “the cost of an average gallon of gasoline has climbed to “the highest it’s been in 67 weeks.” As of March 17, average gas prices in ...
Bears, Vetoes, and Recalls
What do a man in a bear suit, a recall, and California Governor Gavin Newsom have in common? They are all part of a stranger than fiction story about the latest bill to fall victim to the Governor’s veto pen. This week, Governor Newsom vetoed California Senate Bill 660. Don’t ...
California Government Awash in Money Now, But a Reckoning Lies Ahead
Did a member of the California Legislature inadvertently, and quite publicly, admit that “progressive” governance is unsustainable? While discussing the state’s eviction protections and financial aid for renters during a CalMatters podcast, Assemblyman David Chiu, a San Francisco Democrat, said “If we run out of money, all bets are off.” This ...
Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”
Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy. This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino. Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino. For think ...
Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike
“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike
Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Extra Time to File Doesn’t Mask Pain of California’s Huge State Tax Burden
California taxpayers – and all Americans were given a bit of breathing room this year when the IRS announced that this year’s tax deadline would be May 17th, instead of the usual April 15th. The extra month given us to pay and file our 2020 taxes doesn’t mean that Californians ...
Replace gas tax with more efficient, fairer mileage fee
California policymakers have spent years debating how to pay for road and highway repairs. President Biden’s current infrastructure plan brings that debate to the national stage. Like its peers, California relies on a gas tax and registration fees to pay for infrastructure. But policymakers should cut registration fees and replace ...
Maybe It Won’t Be So Easy to Pass These Tax Hikes
Much of the political energy in Sacramento and Washington lately has focused on taxes. Speculation has focused on which taxes liberal politicians will raise, and by how much. While pundits are all but declaring it a fait accompli, two recent developments suggest it will be more difficult than first thought. ...
What Secretary Yellen and Chairman Powell’s Congressional Testimony Mean
There’s a great parable relayed in the movie Charlie Wilson’s War between Rep. Charles Wilson and CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, played by Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It’s about a Zen master and a boy. The Zen master repeats the phrase, “we’ll see,” while others in the fable quickly ...
Government Mandates Big Reason Why Californians Pay More for Gas
Gas prices in California and across the country have been rising sharply since the start of the year. According to the Orange County Register, “the cost of an average gallon of gasoline has climbed to “the highest it’s been in 67 weeks.” As of March 17, average gas prices in ...
