News on California

California governor launches tax ballot measure

2011-12-05T16:00:16Z

SAN FRANCISCO - (Reuters) - With California once again running short on revenue, Governor Jerry Brown said on Monday he would circumvent the legislature and press a statewide ballot measure to raise the state's sales tax an...

California Governor Brown seeks $7 billion from tax hikes

2011-12-01T16:30:40Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The wealthy in California would pay more income tax and shoppers would face a sales tax increase under a measure to be unveiled by Governor Jerry Brown to raise $7 billion for the cash...

California groups jockey to put tax hikes on ballot

2011-11-30T12:30:13Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - With California Governor Jerry Brown making little progress in his efforts to solve the state's intractable budget problems, a number of private groups are maneuvering to put new tax measures to th...

California lawmakers strike budget deal

2011-06-15T20:30:14Z

California lawmakers struck a deal on a budget for the deficit-ridden US state on time, using new powers to avoid stalemates and delays of previous years.

Governor Jerry Brown still has to sign the budget, pushed through using a simple majority vote by deputies from his Democratic Party hours ah...

California Dems eye Internet tax in budget plan

2011-06-15T12:00:34Z

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers in California trying to pass a state budget by a Wednesday deadline are considering forcing Internet retailers like Amazon.com to collect sales taxes, cuts at univer...

California Senate OKs budget, tax bill fails

2011-06-12T09:00:58Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's state Senate approved on Friday a budget plan that would close the state's nearly $10 billion deficit but failed to pass a tax bill to help fund it.

The votes mark the first substantive effort in weeks by lawmakers to take up and fu...

California tax bill for budget fails to pass Senate

2011-06-12T09:00:55Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's state Senate failed on Friday to approve a tax bill to help fund a budget plan it approved earlier in the day.

Tax measures in California's legislature require two-thirds approval of lawmakers, allowing Republicans in its minority to block measu...

California man admits threatening congressman

2011-05-11T16:30:17Z

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A California man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to threatening to kill Congressman Jim McDermott in phone messages that railed against the Washington state Democrat's opposition to extending federal ta...

Californians want budget vote, pension change: poll

2011-04-25T13:31:04Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Californians support major changes in state worker pensions and want the chance to vote on a fix for the state budget, pollsters said on Monday.

Democratic Governor Jerry Brown wants voters to decide whether to cut spending more or extend tax ...

California governor says halts budget talks

2011-03-29T17:00:17Z

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown said on Tuesday he has halted talks with Republican lawmakers over the key part of his state budget plan, a tax measure to raise revenue to help fill a deficit of...

Scenarios: How California budget row may shake out

2011-03-24T11:00:15Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The outlook is not bright for the cornerstone of California Governor Jerry Brown's state budget plan, a ballot measure that would extend tax increases that expire this year.

Brown and fellow ...

Survey finds Californians back tax extensions

2011-03-16T06:30:12Z

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - Californians would overwhelmingly back extending temporary tax increases to help balance the state's budget if asked to in a special election, according to survey results released on Wednesday.

The results of the statewide survey conducted by...

California budget talks: on-again, off-again

2011-03-14T15:30:11Z

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California's Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and five Republicans he needs to reach a balanced budget deal couldn't even agree on Monday about whether or not they were still negotia...

California budget vote on hold as talks progress

2011-03-10T13:00:23Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California lawmakers may delay a vote on a state budget plan until Monday, aides said, in a sign that talks between Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and Republicans are progressing.

...

California Republicans cool to Brown tax plan

2011-02-18T13:30:20Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Democratic Governor Jerry Brown's plan to close the state's huge budget gap is running into a wall of Republican opposition over a proposed referendum on extending tax increases.

I...

California's Brown says voters need voice on budget

2011-01-31T18:00:18Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Governor Jerry Brown pressed California lawmakers in his state-of-the-state address on Monday to let voters decide on his budget plan, saying any attempt to block a special election on...

Californians support vote on tax measure: poll

2011-01-26T21:30:11Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A majority of Californians back Governor Jerry Brown's plan to ask them to extend tax increases to help close a $25.4 billion state budget gap, poll results released on Wednesday showed.

Brown, a Democrat sworn in to a third term earlier this ...

Spending cuts, tax vote at heart of California budget plan

2011-01-09T12:30:21Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown will urge lawmakers to support cuts to welfare, health and higher education spending and call on them to back his plan to ask voters to raise taxes to close a state ...

Calififornia Republicans pressed to honor no-tax pledge

2011-01-06T13:30:09Z

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A prominent Washington activist is calling on Republican lawmakers in California to stick to an anti-tax pledge, a risk to a special election for raising revenue that Governor Jerry ...

Special Report: California or bust

2011-01-03T10:30:39Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Erich Kwek's new office is awash in sunlight and impeccably ordered, with enough space for a desk, small sitting area and a conference table. If you didn't know better, you might mistake it for a corner office at a successful corporation.

But the long whiteboard on the opposite wall is a reminder that ...

New govs take office amid historic budget crisis

2010-12-20T11:00:32Z

For new governors, campaign promises give way to hard budget decisions as they head to office

Twenty-six new governors will take office amid the worst budget climate for states in a generation.

Many of them are promising not to raise taxes, even though states face a cumulative budget shortfall of $140 billion next year.

State lawmakers across the country have been cutting budgets for the past few years because of the poor economy. So when new governors...

Your Tax Questions, Asked and Answered (by a U.S. Treasury Official)

2010-11-29T14:41:58Z

...

Democratic chairmen back Hoyer for number 2 slot

2010-11-09T07:00:24Z

House Democratic chairmen endorse Hoyer over Clyburn for number 2 leadership slot

WASHINGTON — Seven Democratic House chairmen have endorsed Rep. Steny Hoyer to become the Democrats' second in command in the next Congress when Republicans regain control of the House...

Cash For Clunkers Appliances

2010-11-30T13:27:54Z

...

GOP lawmaker opposes compromise on tax cuts

2010-11-08T05:01:43Z

GOP congressman says Bush-era tax cuts should be made permanent for richest Americans

Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, says he'll oppose any compromise that fails to make permanent Bush-era tax cuts for the most wealthy Americans.

Issa, in line to head the Republicans poised to take over House committee; Senate has 2 panel chairmanship openings

The Republican takeover of the House means a complete turnover in committee chairmen, with the new, and sometimes returning, GOP chairmen coming in armed with the promise from their leaders that they will no longer be an afterthought.

Just who winds up where won't be made official ...

Get Off Your Ass And Vote!

2010-11-03T18:56:44Z

...

Nation's governor candidates vague on deficits

2010-10-31T12:00:20Z

Facing massive budget deficits, most candidates for governor offer only vague promises

The next governor of Illinois will walk into office and find himself staring at a budget deficit that could top $15 billion. In California, the hole will be $12 billion. In larger-than-life Texas, the...

Resurgent GOP closes in on House win, eyes Senate

2010-10-30T13:30:14Z

Republicans capitalize on voter discontent, set sights on winning US House and even eye Senate

Resurgent Republicans appear poised to capture control of the House if not the Senate on Tuesday in elections midway through President Barack Obama's term, reaping a rich harvest of voter discontent with the econom...

AP Enterprise: Local tax votes do well nationwide

2010-10-29T03:00:42Z

AP Enterprise: Anti-tax rhetoric meets reality as voters nationwide say yes to local taxes

Forget all the talk about voters being fed up with high taxes: In hundreds of cities and counties across the country, they are raising them.

An Associated Press review of local election results found they boosted taxes to help pay for schools, public safety and other services they beli...

Job opportunities in the great outdoors

2010-11-04T14:22:39Z

...

Why the consumer loses when business tax rates go up

2010-11-04T13:38:50Z

...

Government to announce $2.5 billion for high speed rail

2010-10-27T15:30:22Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government will soon distribute $2.5 billion for high speed rail projects nationwide with California and Florida to receive the largest amounts, state and congressional officials said on Monday.

The Transportation Department would not confirm details ahead of an expected announcement late...

Fiorina says Boxer "too extreme" for California

2010-10-17T08:00:25Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three-term Senator Barbara Boxer is "too extreme for California," said Carly Fiorina, the wealthy businesswoman challenging the Democratic incumbent in one of the most li...

Homeless? Bah Humbug!!

2010-11-03T00:01:02Z

...

SPIN METER: Business group turns on past allies

2010-10-04T00:30:04Z

SPIN METER: Government austerity or bailouts? US Chamber of Commerce takes both sides

2010-03-27T21:15:37Z

STIMULUS WATCH: $5 billion stimulus weatherizing program led to fewer jobs than expected

After a year of crippling delays, President Barack Obama's $5 billion program to install weather-tight windows and doors has retrofitted a fraction of homes and created far fewer construction jobs than expected.

In Indiana, state-trained workers flubbed insulation jobs. ...

Quote of the day. Will turn the entire idea of "stimulus" on its head.

2010-04-22T12:56:47Z

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a proposed bill from Democrat George Miller of Martinez, California to spend $100billion to "save city worker jobs."

Calif. Attorney General Jerry Brown tells Democrats to stay tuned on expected bid for governor

With less than two weeks before he must enter the race for governor, state Attorney General Jerry Brown told college-age Democrats on Saturday to stay tuned for news about his presumed bid.

...

The Taxes States Will Turn To Next

2010-10-25T08:34:43Z

...

Hawks Kings Basketball

2011-01-04T22:01:19Z

Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry, center, goes to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford, right, as Hawks center Zaza Pachulia, left, of Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema reacts during the first half of the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011, in Pas...

New Congress

2011-01-04T11:01:35Z

Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

...

Canucks Sharks Hockey

2011-01-04T00:00:24Z

San Jose Sharks center Jamal Mayers, right, celebrates his goal with teammates Scott Nichol (21) and Dany Heatley (15) as Vancouver Canucks center Henri...

Jerry Brown Inauguration

2011-01-03T17:31:54Z

Jerry Brown is sworn in as the 39th governor of California by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye as Anne Gust Brown,center looks on during ceremonies in Sacramento, Calif. Mon...