Not Exactly a Powerhouse Monday for April Tax Collections

April 19’s tax collections from the first weekend after April 15 weren’t terribly robust, according to Franchise Tax Board tallies.

Personal income tax receipts of $699 million were logged, down $150 million from Friday, April 16’s collections.

Bank and corporation taxes tallied April 19 were  $68 million, nearly 10 times less April 16’s $654 million.    Read more »

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No Dancing in the Streets But It’s Getting Better All the Time

Tax collections are starting to get up a head of steam.

The day after April 15, the Franchise Tax Board reported income tax receipts of $858 million — more than twice the previous day’s haul of $424 million.

That pushed month-to-date collections to $2.4 billion – still well shy of Gov.    Read more »

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State’s Unemployment Rate Rises in March to 12.6 Percent

(Editor’s Note: Here is how the state Employment Development Department portrays the March increase in unemployment – as a subhead to the addition of 4,200 jobs to a workforce of at least 13,842,000.)

California’s Nonfarm Payroll Jobs Increase by 4,200 Unemployment Rate Increases to 12.6 Percent

SACRAMENTO – California’s unemployment rate was 12.6 percent in March and nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 4,200 during the month, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department from two separate surveys.    Read more »

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Jeez-Louise, Nero, No Joke, It’s Time to Ixnay the Iddlefay

Neither the Senate nor the Assembly took any action during their April 15 floor sessions to address California’s estimated $20 billion budget shortfall.

The Senate sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a bill to ban smoking at state parks and beaches.

In the lower house, a ceremony was conducted to commemorate and condemn the Armenian Genocide of 1915 which the Hai call “The Great Crime.”    Read more »

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Healthy Spike in Tax Revenue But Watch the Week of April 19

The Franchise Tax Board reports personal income tax collections on April 15 of $424 million, up $134 million from the prior day.

Bank and corporations tax collections almost tripled from $48 million on April 14 to more than $140 million.

Halfway through the month, personal income tax receipts total $1.5 billion.    Read more »

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Unsolicited Correction

(Editor’s Note: The on-line version of the Top 100 List has since been corrected.)

Capitol Weekly began running the first half of its annual Top 100 List of influential political players on April 15.

Among influential persons 51 to 100 is Number 90, Charles Munger. The write-up on Mr. Munger reads:

“Perhaps no one is causing more heart-ache for Speaker Nancy Pelosi than Charles Munger.    Read more »

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Ban on Smoking in State Parks and Beaches Sent to Governor If Signed, California Would Be the First State To Impose One

On a largely party-line vote, the California state Senate on April 15 sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger one of the most sweeping smoking bans in the country, outlawing smoking at state parks and beaches.

The measure, SB 4, by Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Long Beach Democrat, would impose a $100 fine on those who smoke cigars, cigarettes or other tobacco products at California’s 279 state parks and beaches.    Read more »

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Fair Political Practices Commission Chair Ross Johnson Quits

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the resignation of Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Chairman Ross Johnson:

“As chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, Ross has worked tirelessly to promote and protect the integrity of representative government in California. He has demonstrated true talent and commitment to the people of California during his long and distinguished public service career and I wish him the absolute best for the future.    Read more »

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No Guarantees On April Tax Collections But Trend is Good

The trend line is good for April income tax collections.

But, as of April 14, the state is still more than $9.3 billion away from the $10.48 billion estimate Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used to create his budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

As Californians scramble to file their taxes by April 15, state budget writers are anxiously watching revenue collections.    Read more »

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Mustn’t Allow the Carpet-Bombing to Fall Behind Schedule

(Editor’s Note: Proposition 16 would require a two-thirds vote before cities or counties could contract with an electricity provider other than the investor-owned utility that would otherwise serve that local area. San Francisco and Yolo County have both explored this option. Both are in the Pacific Gas & Electric service area.    Read more »

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