To help explain Amazon.com Inc.'s shut down of their affiliate program in California, the debate over the new sales tax law and the current petition, Next Media Animation, a Taiwanese subsidiary of Next Media, has produced a short animation entitled "Amazon takes on California over sales tax." Animated Californian voters are shown checking "YAY!" in support of a tax-free online market. more ›

A new law requiring online retailers to collect California sales tax from shoppers has stirred up controversy, and now Amazon.com Inc. is saying they are looking for voters to take the matter to the ballot. more ›

There's nothing new about this concept, but Los Angeles and its $250 million budget shortfall could use the boost. Today Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced two new programs that he and others hope will spur local economic activity. That is to say, when you buy a taxed item in the city--say a $10 book--a portion of it--$1--comes back to fund services. more ›

Voters in Santa Monica will be faced with helping save the city's -- and possibly the school district's -- budget when they hit the voting booths in November. A measure approved by the Santa Moncia City Council on Tuesday night will ask voters two questions: to increase the sales tax by a half-penny, making it 10.25%, and if yes, should half of it go towards local schools? more ›

The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday moved forward with a plan to ask residents to increase the sales tax by a half penny on the November balot. Currently at 9.75%, if a majority of voters approve the measure, the sales tax would be hiked to 10.25%. Why a marjority vote and not a two-thirds vote? "As a 'general tax' that would raise revenue to be allocated at the council's discretion, the measure would require a simple majority vote to pass, rather than the two-thirds super majority needed to approve special taxes that direct revenue to specific uses," explained the Santa Monica Daily Press. The tax could raise $13-million for the cash-strapped city. Final approval for the ballot measure will take place at a July 13th meeting. more ›

The Santa Monica City Council is considering placing a measure on the November ballot that would put the city's budget woes in their hands. City leaders are considering placing a measure on the ballot that would ask voters to raise the sales tax a half cent or a property transfer tax hike of $1.50, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. At issue is the projected $53 million budget shortfall the city will see over the next four and a half years. more ›

Californians continued to drive less last November, according to state numbers on gasoline and diesel use released today. 1.170 billion gallons of gasoline were consumed compared to the 1.246 billion gallons the month before and the 1.198 billion gallons in November 2008 (2.3% difference). That all equates to $72 million in estimated taxes the cash-strapped state did not get. Diesel consumption also dropped by 3.2% compared to the year before, according to the Board of Equalization. more ›

Without too much discussion last year, the L.A. City Council raised parking meter fees citywide to at least $1 an hour at all meters. Times were also extended, angering some businesses, especially theatres in the NoHo Arts District where patrons potentially had to leave during intermission or in the middle of the show to refill a meter. A year later, some businesses still see a drop in business with blame towards increased rates, says the Daily News: more ›

Get ready to reach a little deeper into your pockets come July 1, as several Southern California communities will be seeing a hike in sales tax. The increases are the result of voter and California Board of Equalization approval, explains abc7, although some local areas will actually see a drop, like Orange County's Laguna Beach, where the "city council discontinued a temporary tax increase." Here's where you'll be paying a half-percentage point more in sales tax starting next month: Los Angeles County (9.75 percent); Avalon (10.25 percent); El Monte (10.25 percent); Inglewood (10.25 percent); Pico Rivera (10.75 percent); South Gate (10.75 percent). What do you think? Are sales tax increases the way to go to help us through the economic hard times? Will this affect your spending habits? more ›

It's April 1st and that means a few things other than your taxes are due in 15 days. The state's sales tax increases today by 1%, meaning within the city of Los Angeles, we'll be paying 9.25%. That is, until July when Measure R kicks in lopping on another half cent, meaning we'll have a 9.75% sales tax. And wait, there's more: on the May 19th statewide special election ballot, Prop 1a asks us to extend higher taxes by one to two years beyond the 2011 expiration. For some other cities in LA County, their sales tax is getting close to 11%. more ›

Finally, the state senate and assembly came to a compromise and passed the much needed budget. "Our work is not over," tweeted Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We were in a crisis. But crisis provides opportunity for real reforms for California." more ›

In a time when the city of Los Angeles is in the red by $433 million, the Grammy Awards yesterday got $124,163 in special event fees waived (you know, permits, officers, street closures and the like). With city services being cut and fees to residents being raised (like parking meter rates, etc), some folks are not happy. After all, with all the advertising, the glamour and lawsuits against college students, the music industry can't afford this drop-in-the-bucket (to them) fee? more ›

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Although it was predicted to win the day after the election, Measure R, the half-cent tax increase that is expected to raise $30 to $40 billion over the next 30 years for transit projects, finally passed today with 100% of the votes tallied. more ›

The sales tax hike proposed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday raised more than just some eyebrows around the Southland, as the plan includes taxing things that were previously un-taxed, including amusement park admission tickets. The tax on entry to places like Disneyland would begin on March 1, 2009 if the proposal is to go through, and the folks at the mighty Mouse are mad:

“We oppose the Governor’s proposed theme park tax because it unfairly targets the tourism industry and may deter new visitors to the Golden State at a time we need them most,” said resort spokeswoman Lisa Haines in an e-mail statement. “This tax is not worth the risk to an industry that is a proven job creator and economic engine for California’s growth.”

Major one-up for Measure R, the proposed half-cent sales tax increase that would go towards transportation projects. The LA Times says it's bad timing with the current economy, but now is the time, despite what the naysayers claim. "The official opposition to Measure R comes mainly from politicians from far-flung parts of the county who claim that they wouldn't get their fair share of the tax money; they tend to favor a regional distribution scheme in which funds would be split evenly. That's not just parochial, it's naive. A well-designed transportation network relieves bottlenecks in places where demand is greatest, and such high-density corridors aren't evenly distributed on the map." more ›

In a scathing editorial, the Long Beach Press-Telegram is telling people to vote no on Measure R, the LA County ballot initiative that will raise the sales tax one half-cent in order to raise $40 billion over 30 years for transportation projects. Complaining that Southeastern LA County will not get much, if any, of the funding (did they even speak up like the San Gabriel Valley did?) and focusing their attention on West LA commuters and the proposed Subway to the Sea, the paper seems to ignore that their region's constituency ties for second in usage of said subway. And this is only the beginning in the fight over Measure R. more ›

For those who have been following Assembly Bill 2321, you can take a breath of relief. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law yesterday afternoon, allowing Metro to place a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on this November's ballot. It will take a 2/3rds vote to pass and if it does, it could raise $30-40 billion in funding for transportation projects over the next 30 years. On the ballot, it is known as Measure R and a website from the proponents will be launched soon. Metro, who obviously wants initiative to pass, has already launched a website to, uh, inform the public about the measure, but nothing, uh, more. more ›

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Political consultant Ace Smith, who has worked for Mayor Villaraigosa and ran Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign in several states including California, has been hired to run the campaign for Measure R, which will raise LA County's sales tax by a half-penny to pay for transportation projects if passed by voters in November. more ›

If you've been following state Assembly Bill 2321, which simply allows Metro to place a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on this November's ballot, it's been a long, long summer. more ›

With one more step to go until the half-cent sales tax increase proposal goes on the November ballot, Metro has launched an extensive website to inform the public what a "yes" vote would mean: "Measure R is a half-cent sales tax increase that will provide the local resources to finance new transportation projects and accelerate those already in the pipeline. Over 30 years, it is expected to generate $40 billion for countywide congestion relief projects – and attract additional state and federal matching funds that will otherwise go to another county. The average cost is $25 a year per person." (thanks, Curbed LA!) more ›

Even though it is Labor Day weekend and the state has entered into a historic period without a budget, good news came Sunday for public transportation advocates and well-wishers. AB2321, the bill that would allow Metro to put a half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot that could raise $30-40 billion for transportation projects over the next 30 years, took another critical step: the state Assembly passed it. That means two more steps until Los Angeles has higher taxes, but better public transportation: governor Schwarzenegger must sign the bill (he promised not to sign any until the budget mess was over, but he is wishy washy) and the people of LA County must vote for it. more ›

For those of you following AB 2321, a state assembly bill that would allow Metro to put a proposed half-cent sales tax increase on November's ballot (they say it could raise $30-40 billion dollars over 30 years), it passed out of the state senate this afternoon, according to Steve Hymon at the Bottleneck Blog. more ›

Metro has their half-cent sales tax increase proposal working its way through the capitol, but Schwarzenegger has his own sales tax increase he officially announced yesterday within a large budget compromise. Here's one part of his plan to fix the $15 plus billion budget: "A temporary 1-cent sales tax increase for three years (excluding diesel, gasoline and jet fuel) followed by a permanent 1¼-cent reduction beginning in year 4. The additional ¼-cent reduction would be a permanent base sales tax reduction beginning when the 1-cent increase is no longer in effect." But come November, Schwarzenegger backed initiatives like Proposition 1 for the High Speed Rail train from LA to SF could easily put us back into deficit. And if both taxes are approved, Los Angeles County is looking at a 9.75% sales tax. more ›

A huge hurdle has been cleared so that a half-cent sales tax increase proposal can be on November's ballot. Yesterday afternoon, a state Senate committee approved the bill that allows LA County to ask for the tax hike. If it makes it there and is approved by voters, it could raise $30 to $40 billion a year over the next 30 years for public transit and other transportation projects. But first, a few more hurdles to get through until major transportation funding. more ›

State Senator Jenny Oropeza represents coastal areas, including LAX, and also sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee that's currently deciding the fate of AB 2321 which will allow a measure asking the people to vote on a sales tax increase that would go towards transportation, mostly public transit projects like the "Subway to the Sea" and a Green Line extension to LAX. more ›

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What a week. As we wait for state politicians to decide if a sales tax transportation increase can be put on the ballot for voters to decide, the LA County Board of Supervisors are going to revisit their decision of putting it on the general ballot or a separate, confusing and costly one. more ›

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