Taxes

Initiatives filed to extend Prop. 30 tax hikes

California’s temporary income tax hikes aren’t set to expire until 2018, but that hasn’t stopped Sacramento special interest groups from laying the groundwork for campaigns to extend Proposition 30. In recent months, sponsors of tax increases have filed the necessary

First debate of 2016 CA election season tackles poverty, taxes

Joel Fox December 15, 2015

It’s not even 2016 yet, but the first debate over a probable initiative on the November 2016 ballot took place in Dana Point Monday when former Board of Equalization member Conway Collis squared off with Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association president

CA Controller predicts Prop. 30 extension will be passed

Joel Fox November 17, 2015

At last Friday’s California Economic Summit sponsored by California Forward and the California Stewardship Network, state Controller Betty Yee predicted that a Proposition 30 extension and a cigarette tax will be on the 2016 ballot and both would pass. It was a prediction

Sen. Hertzberg praised for bills that can’t get votes

Chris Reed November 7, 2015

State Sen. Bob Hertzberg, the San Fernando Valley Democrat who aspires to higher office, is being honored by NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) — a group devoted to improving the economy while staying true to progressive values. Two measures introduced

Sneak peek: 5 tax proposals you may see on the 2016 ballot

Joel Fox October 30, 2015

There has been some movement on the tax initiative front. In August, I offered the following list of the top five measures most likely to make the ballot: 1) Prop. 30 Extension, 2) Cigarette Tax, 3) Split Roll Property Tax,

Voters will confront more bonds on 2016 ballot

Joel Fox October 15, 2015

State Treasurer John Chiang issued a report recently that praises California’s fiscal strides in dealing with debt but also raises warnings that the state is still in the deep end of the debt pool. The issue of debt will be on

Poll: Voters hesitant on potential 2016 tax hike initiatives

Joel Fox October 3, 2015

A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll took the measure of many of the potential tax initiatives on the 2016 ballot. This snapshot in time indicates supporters of the tax increases have a lot of work to do to convince

CA GOP Convention: Huckabee defends tax record, renews feud with Club for Growth

John September 19, 2015

Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee defended his record of raising taxes at a Friday morning press conference at the California Republican Party’s fall convention, renewing his long-running feud with the country’s leading free-enterprise advocacy group. “My policies

Sacramento special session tackles heath care, infrastructure funding, etc.

James Poulos August 21, 2015

A series of clashes marked the two special legislative sessions tacked on this summer to address some of California’s more stubborn challenges. Adding to the controversy of potential tax increases designed to fund infrastructure and health care entitlements, some lawmakers seized the

CA tax board owes 27,000 overcharged taxpayers

Dave Roberts August 7, 2015

The California Franchise Tax Board potentially owes millions of dollars to 27,000 taxpayers who were overcharged interest after applying overpayments from one year to estimated tax payments in the following year. Due to FTB interest miscalculations going back nearly two