California needs $20.7 billion more to balance next budget Nov 19, 2009
Taylor suggested the state could consider ending certain tax breaks for businesses by mandating that all multi-state firms use the same method to calculate their California taxes or eliminating enterprise zones, which provide tax credits to employers in specified areas. He said benefits of the latter program are questionable. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Daniel Weintraub: Panel's tax overhaul plan sparks fierce debate in state Oct 11, 2009
CALIFORNIA TAXES HAVE RISEN THIS YEAR, and not surprisingly, they've also soared to near the top of the Capitol's policy agenda. Democrats generally say the state's taxes are too low to support the level of public services Californians need and expect. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
EDITORIAL: This tax code revise isn't the way to go Sep 18, 2009
Now a bipartisan commission wants to overhaul the way California taxes residents and businesses. The proposal would reduce personal income tax and eliminate corporate income tax and most of the state sales tax. (Fresno Bee)
Editorial: Tax panel's ideas can spark debate Sep 18, 2009
Now comes a bipartisan commission that has been trying to hammer those competing views into a single plan for overhauling the way California taxes its residents and businesses. The Commission on the 21st Century Economy, whose members were appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, has arrived at a tentative plan and will likely submit it to the Legislature in the days ahead. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
Health and Taxes: 10 Worst States for the Rich Jul 21, 2009
California taxes its top income earners more than 10 percent, meaning that between state taxes, federal taxes, Medicare taxes and the proposed health care surtax, the couple would face a total tax rate of more than 56 percent on part of their income. "It's very sad, because my husband works almost 12 hours per day and can take only two weeks of vacation, and then he's getting less than half of what he's working for," Eugenia said. (ABC News -- Business)
Tax refunds for Madoff victims? Jul 7, 2009
Last week, Shapiro sent letters to the governor and legislative leaders asking that Madoff investors be allowed to seek immediate refunds on millions in California taxes they paid on income they assumed was real. The state taxes paid on that "phantom income" have been estimated as high as $20 million. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
State cuts tax exemptions for kids Jun 23, 2009
The change will increase a family's California taxes for 2009 by about $210 per dependent compared with 2008. A family with one dependent that normally gets a state-tax refund will get back $210 less when they file their 2009 return next year. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Business)
Letters to the Editor May 5, 2009
California taxes the rich more and rides the rollercoaster of their incomes with booms and busts (if only the damn rich had stayed rich). We spend like a drunken sailor in boom years and need to cut in busts (unless you've been off the planet, you know which we're in). (San Francisco Chronicle -- Opinion)
Taxes and money: Time to prepare 2008 return, get ready for 2009 taxes Feb 23, 2009
Taxes and money: Time to prepare 2008 tax return, get ready for 2009 taxes. Written by Jon Meyer. (Lake County News)
Dan Walters: Corporate tax sweetener to seal deal? Feb 11, 2009
In terms of complexity and longevity, few state Capitol conflicts surpass the decades-long struggle over how California taxes multistate and multinational corporations ... They would get a major break in state taxation from such a shift while their rivals from other states, such as Microsoft, could be hit with higher California taxes, but whether the shift would mean a net increase or decrease in state revenues is a highly contentious aspect. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
