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Back to homepage‘Sin tax’ would burn cigar-smoking lawmakers
Tobacco taxes are relatively easy for lawmakers to pass because they are a tax on a hated and “sinful” habit — smoking. But the smoking tax proposed in SB 768 would extend to cigars, a favorite vice of many lawmakers
Read MoreCA take note: Detroit bankruptcy could slash pensions 90%
Detroit declared bankruptcy today. For California, here are the takeaways from the Detroit News report: “A bankruptcy judge could trump the state constitution by slashing retiree pensions, ripping up contracts and paying creditors roughly a dime on the dollar for
Read MoreCA take note: Detroit bankruptcy could slash pensions 90%
July 18, 2013 By John Seiler Detroit declared bankruptcy today. For California, here are the takeaways from the Detroit News report: “A bankruptcy judge could trump the state constitution by slashing retiree pensions, ripping up contracts and paying creditors roughly
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DMV could spy on you through your license plate
A DMV “pilot” program could put digital license plates on your car. Supposedly it would “save” money so you wouldn’t have to put new, yearly tags on your license. It would be done digitally. It also would let the DMV
Read MoreCorporate pirates gaming CA cap-and-trade system
Fictional pirate Jack Sparrow seems to be taking his tricky ways outside the lucrative “Pirates of the Caribbean” Disney movie franchise and into real life. The Walt Disney Company joined forces on July 17 with Pacific Gas and Electric Co.,
Read MoreRetiring Rep. John Campbell continues fundraising
Americans aren’t saving enough for retirement. That’s the conclusion of a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security, which found that most Americans have little money saved for their golden years. “We have millions of Americans who have
Read MoreJustice Brandeis brings light to U.S., CA privacy controversies
LOS ANGELES — Revelations about the federal government’s data mining through PRISM, the clandestine electronic surveillance program operated by the National Security Agency, have prompted a debate about possible government overreach and intrusion. The question about privacy is hardly new,
Read MoreIgnore East Coast dolts: San Diego mayor girding for long fight
The East Coast media do such an amazingly superficial job of covering California politics that it’s no surprise they’re missing the boat on the Bob Filner scandal in San Diego. This is the same bunch that thought the 2003 recall
Read MoreCan Big Sis be stopped?
It is absurd that Janet Napolitano could become the head of the University of California. Other than being a student, Big Sis has no academic experience. She has produced no original research. She has not headed an academic apartment. She
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Weakest stock market rally ever
Despite stubbornly high unemployment, one supposed highlight of the Obama recovery is the booming stock market. Actually, it’s one of the weakest bull markets on record. Here’s a graph from Chart of the Day showing what has happened. As you
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