Florida Exodus: Rising Taxes Drive Out Residents

09-03-2009 • Yahoo

There are many things public officials probably shouldn't do during a severe recession, but no one seems to have told the leaders in Florida about them. One thing, for instance, would be giving a dozen top aides hefty raises while urging a rise in property taxes, as the mayor of Miami-Dade County recently did. Or jacking up already exorbitant hurricane-insurance premiums, as Florida's government-run property insurer just did. Or sending an army of highly paid lobbyists to push for a steep hike in electricity rates, as South Florida's public utility is doing. But the less than sunny mood in Miami-Dade is made darker by the feeling among most residents that their fiscal jam is not just a result of falling revenue, but also years of profligate mismanagement. The final determination on their property taxes will be made soon by the Miami-Dade County Commission - a feckless, corruption-tainted body, many of whose members ran up hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overti

That's a stretch: states seek to regulate yogis

09-02-2009 • Reuters

About 50 yogis gathered in New York recently to discuss hiring a lobbyist and raise funds to fight a state proposal to require certification of yoga teacher training programs -- a move they say would unfairly cost them money.

"It has brought us under one roof," said Fara Marz, who held the gathering at his Om Factory yoga studio in New York. "And this shows that yogis can be vicious, political, together."

Tax Enforcers Stalk Social Networks

08-28-2009 • Wall St Journal

Tax deadbeats are finding someone actually reads their MySpace and Facebook postings: the taxman.  State revenue agents have begun nabbing scofflaws by mining information posted on social-networking Web sites.

Cash-strapped states raid 911 funds

07-23-2009 • AP

More than $200 million collected from cell phone users for upgrades to the 911 system has been diverted in the last two years to plug state budget holes, keep campaign promises and, in at least one case, buy police uniforms,

Opposition to California budget deal mounts

07-21-2009 • LA Times

Less than 24 hours after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders announced a plan to close California's massive budget deficit, LA Co. officials  sue the state, a union for government workers said it might strike, and Republicans threatened to back out of the deal over a provision to cut the number of prison inmates by 27,000.

Gov. Sanford traveled well on taxpayers' dime

07-17-2009 • Politico

On one overseas trip, the state appears to have spent more than $12,000 for the GOP governor’s business-class tickets for a September 2007 trade mission to China, while his aides flew in economy class for airfares as low as $1,900.

States without budgets as key deadline passes

07-01-2009 • AP

States from coast to coast began a new fiscal year Wednesday with no budget plans and with cash quickly running out, sending some to the brink of shutdown and forcing others to furlough workers and cut services.

Homes to be seized by the Government over Cigarette Taxes

06-19-2009 • Washington Post

Several states and the District of Columbia are tracking down smokers who buy cheaper cigarettes out of their jurisdictions and have even begun tax-collection procedures that can end in liens put against the offender’s property.

California, a Broke State, Reels as Voters Rebuff Leaders

05-20-2009 • NY Times

Direct democracy has once again upended California — enough so that the state may finally consider another way by overhauling its Constitution for the first time in 130 years.

GOP lawmakers propose taking impact fees

04-28-2009 • East Valley Tribune

Republican legislative leaders are proposing to fix part of their budget problems by taking $210 million that cities have collected from developers. All it does is put the burden back on the rest of the taxpayers — taxpayers whose own home prices inc

Court rules firm must pay taxes on reservation

04-26-2009 • East Valley Tribune

Companies can't escape paying state property taxes just because they locate on Indian reservations, the Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled. A judge writing for the unanimous court, said the Arizona Constitution requires that taxes be paid

Patriotic Hookers Want to be Taxed

04/12/2009 • Just a Girl in Short Shorts

In a noble, if misguided, effort to help Nevada get out of its three billion dollar deficit, the legal prostitutes suggested the state collect a five dollar tax on their services. But a Senate Committee voted the proposal down. A coalition of femini

Calif. outs biggest celebrity tax-evaders: Sinbad & Dionne Warwick

4-12-2009 • AP

In the land of Hollywood, the state understands celebrities need the public's approval as much as gov't does. So when celebrities don't respect the state's authoritay,...the state plays "PR Battleship".

Las Vegas trophy project becomes symbol of boondoggle

04-08-2009 • Reuters

Instead the $9 billion development named CityCenter -- touted as the city's most ambitious endeavor -- has come to symbolize a global retail and leisure slump and the city's struggles to come to grips with crushing unemployment and dwindling

Recession slows some U.S. state income tax refunds

04-08-2009 • Reuters

Many U.S. taxpayers are eagerly anticipating a quick influx of cash from their states as they file income tax returns ahead of the April 15 deadline, but for some, the refund check may not be in the mail. With most states struggling with big revenue

AZ Lawmakers to take a bigger bite out of your paycheck

04-01-2009 • East Valley Tribune

Arizona lawmakers are moving to alter the way the state computes what it withholds from worker paychecks in an effort to keep the government afloat. The measure, set for a vote, would have Arizona for the first time ever set its own schedule of withh

California's state work force grew despite budget woes and cut promises

03-16-2009 • Sacramento Bee

California state government's full-time work force continues to grow [tax collectors & enforcement?] despite Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's order to freeze hiring amid a historic budget shortfall.

Disabled men forced into 'fight club' by staff at Texas state facility

03-10-2009 • AFP

Profoundly disabled young men were forced into "fight club" style battles by the people hired to care for them in a Texas residential facility, police said. The staged battles -- which appear to have been going on for at least two years --

ATS To Introduce Overweight Photo Scam Cams

03-03-2009 • CameraFraud

American Traffic Solutions to Unveil Overweight and Overheight Vehicle Photo Enforcement Systems at World Congress on ITS in NY. ATS is pitching a new revenue scheme to photograph and cite vehicles that are too tall or heavy:

California Senate Deadlocked; Republicans Oust Leader

02-18-2009 • Bloomberg

California’s Senate remained deadlocked over a plan to raise taxes to help close the state’s $42 billion budget shortfall as Republicans replaced their leader who sought to build support for the plan.

California lawmakers vote on $41 billion budget plan

02-15-2009 • Reuters

California lawmakers began voting late Saturday on plans to raise taxes and cut spending to close a $42 billion budget deficit the state's government faces over the next 17 months. If California receives at least $9.1 billion in new federal funds

Massachusetts Gubment Wants to Impose Taxes on Purchases Made by MA Citizens IN NH

2-5-2009 • Liberty Conspiracy

Bay State officials said New Hampshire businesses should be collecting Massachusetts' 5 percent sales tax from residents who cross the border to shop — and save money.

Calif. governor wants to tax golf, auto repairs

1-27-2009 • AP

[targeted taxes] Golf course owners and some of their customers are teed off at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. So are veterinarians, auto mechanics and amusement park operators.

Brothels Ask to Be Taxed, but Official Sees a Catch

1-25-2009 • NY Times

It is virtually unheard of for any legal industry to ask to be taxed. And it would seem even more unlikely for any government, especially one facing down a nearly $2 billion budget gap, to hesitate when a business is willing to pay up.

States push to collect taxes on Internet sales

01-13-2009 • USA Today

Gotta pay for all those programs somehow!

Calif. court rejects lawsuit against tax increases

1-9-2009 • AP

Citing separation of powers, the state's 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento ruled it could not intervene because the Governor did not signed the bill into law. The Democratic majority acted illegally when it passed the tax increases becau

Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline

1-2-2008 • AP

Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles. The idea first emerged nearly 1

Motorists' Habits Spur Call for Tax Increases

1-1-2009 • AP

Motorists are driving less and buying less gasoline, which means fuel taxes aren't raising enough money to keep pace with the cost of road, bridge and transit programs. A federal commission created by Congress to find a way to make up the growing

Cash-strapped states weigh selling roads, parks

1-1-2008 • AP

Minnesota is deep in the hole financially, but the state still owns a premier golf resort, a sprawling amateur sports complex, a big airport, a major zoo and land holdings the size of the Central American country of Belize.