Economic Theory Meets Political Reality in Think Long Proposal
The Think Long Committee proposal to change the governance structure in California is centered on a change in the tax system. The committee proposes lowering and flattening the income tax, lowering the sales tax, and creating a new tax on services. In theory, the proposition is sound, although the tax increase that accompanies the restructuring […]
Split Roll Measure Will Be Defeated
The latest attempt at a massive tax increase is unlikely to gain traction. A split roll to raise taxes on commercial property was filed yesterday. As the Field Poll recently made clear, Prop. 13 remains remarkably popular and there is simply no way the proponents can sell this as anything but a repeal of 13 […]
Occupy Oakland: If This is Social Justice, Social Justice is Garbage
Crossposted at CalWhine In 1968, legendary AP war correspondent Peter Arnett quoted a U.S. military officer as saying this of Ban Tre, Vietnam: “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” Over the years, the phrase, when recalled, has morphed into “we had to destroy the village in order to save it,” but […]
Got a Calculator? Rival Tax Plans Complicate Ballot
Crossposted on Capitol Weekly Five groups and counting – including Gov. Jerry Brown – aim to help California by convincing voters next November to approve billions in tax increases. It’s difficult to say how many of the nearly 15 million Californians who file state tax returns would be digging into their wallets – and how […]
Is Gingrich’s Prime Time Endorsement from Powerful New Hampshire Union Leader a Bellwether for his Future?
In the category, of “whoa, whoa, whoa”, the New Hampshire Union Leader (a.k.a. Manchester Union Leader), the state’s largest and most influential newspaper backed Newt Gingrich for President. According to 2010 figures, the paper’s daily circulation topped 48,000 and its Sunday circulation was just short of 64,000 subscriptions. Previously owned by conservatives William and “Nackey” […]