Compared to citizens of other states, Californians are pretty laid back. But while Californians may have a reputation for being “chill,” in the political realm, they can act with surprising intensity and speed. In 2003, when newly re-elected Gov. Gray Davis revealed that the budget was in much worse shape than he had admitted and […]
Last week, a coalition of organizations that favor higher taxes submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to gut a major taxpayer protection provided under Proposition 13. The attack is the latest iteration of “split roll” schemes designed to increase property taxes on businesses. Under Proposition 13, the taxable value of property is limited to the purchase […]
By Jon Coupal and Blanca Rubio | Starting on January 1st, Californians who park their cars next to a parking meter only to find that it’s broken won’t have to worry that a parking ticket will be waiting on their windshield when they come back, thanks to a new law. Assembly Bill 1625, introduced by […]
Listing all the deficiencies of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System would be a daunting task. A long history of corruption involving so-called “placement fees,” dysfunctional governance, undue union influence and poor rates of return are themselves reasons why California needs fundamental pension reform. Now we can add to that list how CalPERS’s mindless pursuit […]
Well, it happened again. Homeowners in Chicago now face yet another property tax increase to pay for the city’s mounting pension debt. Local taxpayers have already been slammed with nearly $1.1 billion in property tax increases, primarily for police, fire and teacher pensions. That’s on top of a 29 percent tax on water and sewer […]
In this season of Thanksgiving, please don’t blame battered taxpayers if they pause when asked for what are they grateful. Considering the punishment being dished out to working Californians and the middle class by the Legislature and the governor, it may take them a moment to refocus on the good. Sacramento has approved billions of […]
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a Walt Disney classic from 1966 starring Dick Van Dyke as a quirky inventor who turns a broken-down Grand Prix car into a magical flying machine. Along with his two young children, they soar off to a fantasy land with the mission of rescuing the beloved grandfather being held in […]
The release of the tax reform plan by the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives has caused the Washington spin machine to go into overdrive. For taxpayers there is much to like, including across-the-board tax rate reductions, doubling of the standard deduction and significant tax simplification. But progressive politicians and pundits predict the end […]
By Jon Coupal and Jim Patterson | Have you ever had a tooth extracted without Novocain or some other pain killer? When facing something painful, it’s always helpful to apply a numbing agent and, when administered by competent medical personnel, anesthesia provides effective relief. But when politicians try to mask pain, be skeptical. The 12 […]
In 2017, the California Legislature launched a sustained and withering assault on middle-class taxpayers. Its victories were numerous and significant: A $75 per document recording tax was approved, affecting up to 400 different transactions; a gas and car tax, which takes effect November 1, will cost California households another $600 a year; and an increase […]
