The following links are just news items and opinions that pass my desk throughout the week. I don’t necessarily support or advocate any of the items, they are just interesting reads.
California to withhold a bigger chunk of paychecks – The amount goes up 10% on Sunday as Sacramento borrows from taxpayers. Technically, it’s not an income tax increase: You’ll get the money back eventually.
Illegal immigrants will be counted in 2010 census - Illegal immigrants will continue to be counted in the U.S. Census as they always have…
California Legislature tries to block steep cut in pay and perks - The attorney general is asked to determine whether an 18% pay reduction and car allowance cuts are illegal. Capitol managers say a citizens panel that decided the reductions exceeded its authority.
The Return of the Inflation Tax – Buried in Nancy Pelosi’s health-care bill is a provision that will partially repeal tax indexing for inflation, meaning that as their earnings rise over a lifetime these youngsters can look forward to paying higher rates even if their income gains aren’t real.
Report: Calif. local governments shell out big bucks on lawsuits – Eight of California’s largest cities and nine of its largest counties spent $504.1 million on lawsuits in 2007 and 2008, a report said Thursday.
After a flurry of stimulus spending, questionable projects pile up – The $787 billion stimulus bill was passed in February and was promised as a job saver and economy booster. Here is where some of the money went:
California Pensions Have Become the State’s Next Fiscal Crisis – At a time when the state government has reduced education spending, cut back services to the poor and implemented workplace furloughs to close a $24.6 billion deficit, California faces additional financial problems from its public pensions.
Dan Walters: Fiscal reform requires the nerve to do it – Pattison ticked off states that had improved their budget processes – and their fiscal stability – with such reforms as multi-year projections of income, weighing long-term impacts of spending proposals…
The Golden State isn’t worth it – Our high-benefit/high-tax model no longer works, especially compared with low-tax states like Texas.
The Dominoes Fall and the Next Governor Is….. – Gavin Newsom pulled out of the governor’s race and set the punditry world abuzz about the possibilities of another Democrat jumping into the June primary.
Boeing Heads South For Better Business Climate: Washington State Politicians Are Surprised? – …Boeing announced it would put a second 787 assembly line in Charleston, S.C., rather than Everett, WA.
