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Higher income taxes, steeper service cuts in store for California – Out-of-towners: Footing the bill for auto crashes

March 28, 2009 /

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California residents will pay an additional personal income surtax while aid for low-income people will be slashed under a decision announced today by two senior finance officials.

The ruling by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s finance director, Mike Genest, and Treasurer Bill Lockyer was tied to the budget plan Schwarzenegger signed late last month to close the state’s $40 billion deficit. The deal included $2.8 billion in extra income taxes and program cuts, but they would be nullified if the state received enough money from the federal stimulus package.

By Mike Zapler
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau

Full Story: http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_12013460

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Cash-strapped towns in California are resorting to what opponents dub an "accident tax". At-fault, out-of-town drivers involved in a crash are sent a bill for the public services sent to clean-up the incident.

By John Howard

Full Story: http://capitolweekly.net/article.php?1&_c=xv34kg1osa1kia&issueId=xv12cqmbjchpgu&xid=xv0mgfaqsfpvtx&_ce=1238104144.dfb309f3f277fe