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We Can Fund Our Roads This Year And Scrap Controversial Gas Tax

A recent issue of The Bond Buyer warns that “thousands of road projects funded by a recently enacted California gas tax are in jeopardy if voters repeal it.” While most Californians want the decrepit streets and highways across the state repaired, they are not likely to be moved by the ...
Blog

After Wayfair Ruling, Will California and Other States Rush to Collect More Sales Taxes?

Last week, the Supreme Court issued a major decision in a case about online retailers collecting sales taxes, South Dakota v. Wayfair. As PRI’s Bartlett Cleland recently wrote in Fox and Hounds, “the case is centered around the notion that an entity must have a physical presence in a jurisdiction ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – June 22

Tim Anaya – When the Canadians – err British – Burned Down the White House This week, I was in Washington, DC visiting my brother. We took in all of the touristy things, including a nighttime bus tour around the White House and all the monuments. The recent war of ...
Blog

Los Angeles’ Airbnb Tax is a Bargain Compared to Italy’s

There are plenty of similarities between Italy and California. Both are similar in size and have wonderful wine countries and picturesque coastlines. They also share high taxes, a challenging regulatory landscape, and a growing gap between their richest and poorest residents. One major difference between Italy and the Golden State ...
Blog

Classroom Bias Rampaging Across America

Political bias continues to increase in America’s classrooms and curricula.  Giving parents school-choice tools is the only real solution. In the current school year, there have been disturbing cases across the country of teachers imposing their anti-Donald Trump political views on their students. In Cherokee County, Georgia, a high school ...
Blog

Would Politics as Usual Change Under “Cal 3” Plan?

More than one observer has argued that California is too big population-wise, and the problems too-complex to effectively govern and should be broken up. Recently, it was announced that after years of debate, California is finally going to have a chance to vote on one of these proposals this November. ...
Blog

Will California Cities Repeat Seattle’s “Amazon Tax” Mistake?

No one should wonder why executives keep saying California is the worst state to do business in. Too many politicians see businesses as nothing more than vessels available to be drained of their substance for the funding of foolish ideas. The most recent proposal among some Silicon Valley politicians is ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – June 15

Tim Anaya – San Francisco’s Crazy Voting System This week, London Breed emerged as the winner of San Francisco’s mayor’s race. But she had to sweat out the results of San Francisco’s crazy voting system called “ranked choice voting” or “instant runoff voting.” It’s basically a scheme to rig the ...
Blog

This Year’s Budget Earns a “Participation Trophy”

It’s amazing what a difference one voter-approved proposition can make.  The Legislature is poised again to pass a budget before the June 15 constitutional deadline.  Gov. Brown has until June 30 to sign it into law. Budgets used to be a lengthy, messy fight at the Capitol. Back in the ...
Blog

Proposed Water Tax Dropped in State Budget Deal

Sacramento has been trying for some time now to add a 95-cents-a-month tax on drinking water to pay for “secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure.” Those dreams of more taxes were delayed last week, though, ...
Blog

We Can Fund Our Roads This Year And Scrap Controversial Gas Tax

A recent issue of The Bond Buyer warns that “thousands of road projects funded by a recently enacted California gas tax are in jeopardy if voters repeal it.” While most Californians want the decrepit streets and highways across the state repaired, they are not likely to be moved by the ...
Blog

After Wayfair Ruling, Will California and Other States Rush to Collect More Sales Taxes?

Last week, the Supreme Court issued a major decision in a case about online retailers collecting sales taxes, South Dakota v. Wayfair. As PRI’s Bartlett Cleland recently wrote in Fox and Hounds, “the case is centered around the notion that an entity must have a physical presence in a jurisdiction ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – June 22

Tim Anaya – When the Canadians – err British – Burned Down the White House This week, I was in Washington, DC visiting my brother. We took in all of the touristy things, including a nighttime bus tour around the White House and all the monuments. The recent war of ...
Blog

Los Angeles’ Airbnb Tax is a Bargain Compared to Italy’s

There are plenty of similarities between Italy and California. Both are similar in size and have wonderful wine countries and picturesque coastlines. They also share high taxes, a challenging regulatory landscape, and a growing gap between their richest and poorest residents. One major difference between Italy and the Golden State ...
Blog

Classroom Bias Rampaging Across America

Political bias continues to increase in America’s classrooms and curricula.  Giving parents school-choice tools is the only real solution. In the current school year, there have been disturbing cases across the country of teachers imposing their anti-Donald Trump political views on their students. In Cherokee County, Georgia, a high school ...
Blog

Would Politics as Usual Change Under “Cal 3” Plan?

More than one observer has argued that California is too big population-wise, and the problems too-complex to effectively govern and should be broken up. Recently, it was announced that after years of debate, California is finally going to have a chance to vote on one of these proposals this November. ...
Blog

Will California Cities Repeat Seattle’s “Amazon Tax” Mistake?

No one should wonder why executives keep saying California is the worst state to do business in. Too many politicians see businesses as nothing more than vessels available to be drained of their substance for the funding of foolish ideas. The most recent proposal among some Silicon Valley politicians is ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – June 15

Tim Anaya – San Francisco’s Crazy Voting System This week, London Breed emerged as the winner of San Francisco’s mayor’s race. But she had to sweat out the results of San Francisco’s crazy voting system called “ranked choice voting” or “instant runoff voting.” It’s basically a scheme to rig the ...
Blog

This Year’s Budget Earns a “Participation Trophy”

It’s amazing what a difference one voter-approved proposition can make.  The Legislature is poised again to pass a budget before the June 15 constitutional deadline.  Gov. Brown has until June 30 to sign it into law. Budgets used to be a lengthy, messy fight at the Capitol. Back in the ...
Blog

Proposed Water Tax Dropped in State Budget Deal

Sacramento has been trying for some time now to add a 95-cents-a-month tax on drinking water to pay for “secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure.” Those dreams of more taxes were delayed last week, though, ...
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