Obstacles to a CA Response on Federal Tax Plan
A combination of state law and the outcome of sexual harassment cases in Sacramento could forestall California’s response to offset increased taxes under a federal tax bill. Let’s state at the beginning that the tax plan coming out of Washington has not been finalized so much speculation is going into what the final plan will […]
Republican Tax Bill Is an Attack on Local Democracy
The real problem with the Republican tax bill, now being reconciled by the U.S. House and Senate, is not about taxes. It’s about democracy. The legislation was not put together in public, with hearings and scrutiny that could allow the bill to take on changes and improvements. It was put together behind closed doors, rapidly, […]
Funding for the homeless, redux
In a recent piece in the Fox and Hounds, commentator Joel Fox warned against slapping homeowners with a new transfer tax – the proceeds of which would go to fund various programs to care for California’s homeless population. Of course, Joel is not being dismissive of the homeless problem in the state. He has long been […]
No gas taxation without better representation
Notice the increase in gas prices recently? Normally, gas prices decrease a bit this time of year, due to the switch to the less expensive “winter blend.” The increase is an unwelcome surprise for many Californians, particularly those least able to afford unexpected increases to their monthly budget. You might be asking yourself, “what changed?” […]