Hollywood, prepare. Over 400 activists are taking it to the streets this afternoon, specifically the intersection of Sunset and Vine, to protest those who have failed to pay the U.S. corporate tax rate, namely FedEx. more ›

California's clean energy projects will lose around $400 million in funding in 2012 due to the elimination of the so-called public goods charge. This surcharge, paid by customers of Southern California Edison and other investor-owned utilities, adds a practically unnoticeable $1 to $2 each month to the average residential electric bill and helps fund energy efficiency programs and research. more ›

Here in California, grapes are a cash crop as they are turned into bottles of wine--booze that is taxed and regulated by the government. Now the "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine Act of 2012," is asking that the state treat another prolific crop--pot--like wine, and make some money off it while regulating it like we do with alcohol. more ›

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 ›

The L.A. City Council is considering putting a special tax on medical marijuana collectives, however the voters will have the final say. Today the Council is expected to be presented with the City Attorney's recently issued report on the tax measure, and they are being recommended to adopt the resolution and have the proposition put on the March 8th, 2011 ballot. more ›

L.A. has suffered a blow this year in regards to the budget. Job cuts, furloughs, impacted city services and more have had a ripple effect on the pubic (library hours shortened by two days, for one). To avoid more of this in the future, city officials are acting now to save the budget, which includes going to the voters at the March 8th municipal election. November 3rd is the deadline to place items on that ballot, so this week the politicians are at work. more ›

If you've been paying attention to campaign commercials for the U.S. Senate and California's governor, the theme is jobs, jobs, jobs, thanks to high unemployment. Today, the L.A. City Council will consider a motion to give employers citywide a tax credit when they hire new employees who are Los Angeles residents. 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 ›

It's a long ways away, but a second ballot initiative qualified for the February 7th, 2012 Presidential Primary ballot. That's when California, after this November's election, will have another statewide election, unless a special one is called for like in 2009. more ›

A petition to put a local billboard tax measure on a future West Hollywood ballot has been submitted to city hall and it already has city leaders on the defense. Even before a petition has been approved for circulation -- enough residents need to sign it in order to be placed on the ballot -- City Councilmember Jeffrey Prang this afternoon sent out a "voter advisory." more ›

It's not just Bell, which pays the second highest property taxes in Los Angeles County, many cities with median household incomes below $50,000 are found have some of the highest property taxes, finds the LA Times, which has published data from each of the county's 88 cities. more ›

The city of Bell is the story that keeps on giving. However, that's unfortunate news. Today's development is that residents have been paying the second highest property taxes in Los Angeles County as part-time elected officials and top city staff we're paid some of the highest salaries for the type of job in the country, finds the LA Times and Bloomberg News. more ›

Amid these belt tightening times, Santa Monica wants to raise the sales tax and Culver City has a similar idea, but they want to hit up tourists for some extra money instead. The City Council Monday night took steps to place a measure on the November ballot that would increase the Transient Occupancy Tax rate from 12 percent to 14 percent, according to the Los Angeles Wave. The tax places a levy on people who buy lodging for 30 days or less. more ›

Voters in Long Beach may have two marijuana decisions to make when they fill out their ballot this Fall. Along with Prop 19, which proposes to legalize marijuana, the city council is considering placing a marijuana tax -- currently proposed as 15% for recreational use, 5 percent for medicinal -- on the November 2nd ballot. more ›

Long Beach may join three Northern California cities by placing a marijuana tax proposal on the November ballot. The City Council today is expected to consider an item today that would schedule a public hearing in August, which is when the councilmembers would vote to place the tax measure on the ballot. more ›

Surprise, surprise. Cash-strapped California is the only of the 22 major oil states that do not tax companies for taking the black gold out of the ground. Now with the BP oil spill in the Gulf and Prop 23 at the public forefront, Democrats this Summer have crafted two budget proposals that put an oil production tax in the picture. more ›

Los Angeles voters may see a parcel tax measure that would help fund libraries on a ballot next year instead of this November if city budget officials have their way. The Board of Library Commissioners earlier this month approved a $39/year parcel tax for the November ballot that would fund libraries enough to open them six days a week, restore jobs and enhance other programs. more ›

You can get your tan outside for free, and for a pretty hefty portion of the year here in sunny Southern California, but of course that comes with the risk of skin cancer and other health and wellness repercussions. But for those who think it's worth it to shell out the bucks for the fake thing, get ready to pay even more for your tanning bed-down. "Beginning July 1, tanning parlors will have to charge customers a 10% tax for indoor tanning services," cautions the OC Register. The IRS has the details about the new regulation here. It's bottom line meets tan lines from now on. more ›

More preliminary results from yesterday's Statewide Direct Primary include the failure of three propositions and one local measure. Prop 15, California Fair Elections Act: 57.5% NO, 42.5% YES. Would have repealed ban on public funding of political campaigns. more ›

Councilmember Herb Wesson wants the city to explore placing a measure on a ballot asking voters to tax billboards. The suggestion comes in a letter (.pdf) from L.A. City Councilmember Herb Wesson offering various ideas on saving the budget. more ›

The one thing saving Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from two black eyes right now is his 30/10 Plan, which would build 30 years of planned public transportation infrastructure--that's 12 projects, mostly rail--in 10 years. The money is already guaranteed thanks to the voter approved Measure R, a half-cent sales tax. Problem is, the anticipated $30 to $40 billion will come in over the next 30 years. Villaraigosa's solution is to ask congress for a loan upfront with a guarantee to pay it back. So far, it's garnering praise and today it's getting another boost. more ›

The state senate today passed a bill that would impose a sales tax on Amazon.com and other online purchases, which would raise $107 million annually, according to the Sacramento Bee. Governor Schwarzenegger said he would veto the measure when it was introduced last year and Overstock.com threatened to pull its affiliate program, which provides income to California residents, if the tax was approved. more ›

Along with her proposal to tax oil drilling in Los Angeles, Councilmember Janice Hahn last week submitted a motion to tax the cultivation of medical marijuana. It's in an effort to help bring in revenue to the city, which currently is facing a budget crisis. more ›

As the historic Prop 8 trial takes place in a federal courthouse in San Francisco, another historic hearing will be going on in Sacramento tomorrow morning. The California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee will conduct a hearing and vote on A.B. 390, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, which is the legislation that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. more ›

After the Governor tried to raid public transit funds and was stopped by the courts, he's after the money again, but with a different shell game. As pointed out by Damien Newton at Streestblog LA, the LA Times reports that "the governor would eliminate the sales tax on gas and, at the same time, impose a new per-gallon excise tax. Drivers would pay about 5 cents less per gallon at the pump. The excise tax would not be subject to voter-approved spending requirements for public transit." Ouch. more ›

In an attention grabbing poll, California's legislature slightly edged out Britney Spears when polled Californians were asked who they would rather see manage their family budget. "Thirty-five percent of respondents said they would opt to have the Legislature manage their money, with 31 percent preferring to put Ms. Spears in charge. Thirty-four percent of those surveyed either didn't know or refused to answer the question," reports the Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert. more ›

Today in their regular meeting the LA City Council "will consider provisions to a proposed medical marijuana ordinance they have struggled with for two years," according to CBS2. In a vote postponed from last week, the Council will discuss how to handle the city's many dispensaries. "Among the possibilities are capping the number of dispensaries and creating a tax that could help boost the city's depleted coffers." more ›

On-location shoots for advertisements may be on the rise, but filming in Los Angeles has been on the downtrend for some years now, thanks to incentives that lured shoots to Alabama, New York City, Canada and elsewhere. That might be good for complaining neighbors, but it's not for the larger picture that is Los Angeles' economy. more ›

A state report on restructure California's tax system is due today and the Associated Press, which obtained an early copy, has found that bold changes are recommended, prompting a large amount of skepticism. The AP explains some: more ›