Dancing with Gavin: The SF Soda Tax (Fee)
Dancing with the Stars begins tonight and the show should have reserved a spot for the nimble San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom. His proposal to charge a fee on city retailers who carry soda neatly dances around the legal requirement that all local taxes receive a vote of the people.
Voter approval would be required if a tax was affixed to each individual can or bottle of soda. However, Newsom wants to avoid the voters having a say by slapping a fee on retailers who carry soda.
His ploy may not stand up against legal challenges, which the mayor, himself, acknowledges will come.
No word on how Newsom wants San Francisco to use the money. In the past when discussing a possible tax on soda, he has suggested funding an exercise and media campaign to warn about health problems that he says are associated with soda drinking.
NFL Stadium Deal Shows How Money Talks
It looks as though there’s finally an agreement on plans to build an NFL stadium in the City of Industry, which means legislators and the governor won’t have to make good on their promise to push through a bill that would enable the developer to bypass state environmental rules and local lawsuits to get the project done.
This means billionaire developer Ed Roski Jr. will have the go-ahead to erect his $800 million, 75,000-seat stadium – and adjoining shopping and entertainment complex – and that state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg won when he delayed consideration of the stadium bill in the final days of the legislative session and called for more negotiations.
This all still leaves one important question: Why in the name of John Muir was the state Legislature even involved in the regional environmental dustup?
The answer, unsurprisingly, is that money talks. And when that money flows into the pockets of politicians across the state, legislative magic can happen.
Global Warming Plan Kills California
A U.S. Treasury Department study shows that the national Cap and Trade plan (Cap and Tax), which passed through the House in June, will cost American households nearly $2,000 a year.
In California we don’t have to wait for the U.S. Senate to pass Cap and Tax to feel the massive burden of government’s attempt to insignificantly slow Global Warming: We have AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, as law today. For three years, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been hard at work inventing environmental regulations that will kill the California economy.
AB 32 is a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California to 1990 levels by 2020, and by 80% by 2050. CARB is charged with imposing and enforcing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from nearly every phase of life and work in the state.
A June study, commissioned by the California Small Business Roundtable, concluded that the plan could result in average annual losses of $182.6 billion, or 10%, of gross state output – that’s one and a half times the state budget – from small businesses alone. That translates to nearly 1.1 million lost jobs. The report also estimates a cut of more than 25% in the average family’s discretionary spending.
More manufacturing loss and missed opportunity
California’s manufacturing jobs declined again in August. This month there are 2,800 less high wage middle class jobs in California that could have played a role in our economic recovery. The total loss since January 2001 now totals 583,000 — 31 percent of the state’s original manufacturing base at the start of this century.
While we lose these jobs, California also suffers from too many missed opportunities for new growth. An exponential amount of companies surveying the country for competitive places to manufacture have given up on California because of costs and unpredictability. This must be turned around with laser focused policies for competitiveness and an articulated commitment to growing middle class jobs and the economy.
One week after the close of the state’s legislative session, we can start with some important vetoes and signatures for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to help keep the state’s manufacturing base afloat. Below are some of those important bills with CMTA’s veto and signature request letters.
Health Care Prescriptions – West to East, What’s Next?
I’m hosting a health care forum in the East Bay this coming Tuesday which is part of the Lincoln Club of Northern California’s educational series. “Health Care – What’s Next” will feature the talented Sally Pipes, President of the Pacific Research Institute and author of The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care – A Citizens Guide. About 50 local doctors, venture capitalists, and small business owners will participate in the dialogue and hear Pipes philosophy – one that focuses on the free market and competition options rather than the “public option”.
Fox and Hounds Daily readers who don’t subscribe to the Contra Costa Times will find their Q&A with Dr. Scott Atlas, a professor and chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center of interest. It is an enlightening, quick read that small business owners and citizens who are confused by the chatter will enjoy.