manufacturing

Brown's Tax Plan Fails in Senate

September 10, 2011 by Calitics

In looooong session, Jerry Brown is unable to muster 2 GOP votes

by Brian Leubitz

If you are like me, and follow a lot of Capitol reporters on twitter, you will see a slew of tweets ending around 2AM last night.  That would be because that is when the Senate finally closed its day and finished up this Legislative session.

But through all that, Brown's big last-minute goal went down in the Senate:

Gov. Jerry Brown's corporate tax package failed to clear the state Senate in the final hours of the legislative session.

The plan, contained in Senate Bill 116, fell five votes short of passage, by a final tally of 22-15.

The Democratic governor had proposed changing a corporate tax formula to require that multi-state companies calculate their tax liability based on the portion of sales in California. The roughly $1 billion expected to be raised annually through the change, mostly from out-of-state companies, would have been directed to specific tax breaks, including a sales tax exemption on manufacturing equipment. (SacBee)

The Governor wasn't even able to hold all the Democrats and one (I'm trying to figure out who) actually voted no.

NM Dem Politicos Respond to President Obama's Jobs Speech

September 9, 2011 by Democracy for N...

Here are the statements released by New Mexico Democratic politicos following President Obama’s address last night to a Joint Session of Congress on the American Jobs Act:

Senator Jeff Bingaman:
“In his speech tonight, the president set forth a very good plan for the country.  As he pointed out, job creation needs to be our focus this fall. Congress wasted too many months focusing on other issues this year, and Americans are anxious to have us turn our attention back to the economy. 

“I agree with the president that we need to keep in place tax incentives that encourage businesses to hire workers, and that we can create jobs by investing in our nation’s roads and bridges. 

“I also agree that one of the fastest ways to stimulate our weak economy is by extending unemployment benefits to those who cannot find work. This will not only help keep food on the tables of American families, it will create demand in the economy and therefore support good jobs. 

What is Brown's Tax Deal? And Does It Really Have a Shot at 2/3?

September 7, 2011 by Calitics

Governor aims to pass a tax reform measure before close of session

by Brian Leubitz

The Governor has been itching to get some sort of job plan going. Unfortunately, many of his ideas require a 2/3 vote, and Sacramento Republicans, like their counterparts in DC, seem more intent on blocking Democratic initiatives than getting anything done.

But this isn't even a measure that is increasing taxes:

Brown last month proposed eliminating a corporate tax benefit that allows companies to pick the less-expensive of two tax formulas when calculating tax liability. He proposed using the money, about $1 billion, to fund a sales tax exemption for purchases of manufacturing equipment, and he proposed expanding an employer tax credit.

Even before Brown announced the plan, Republicans criticized it and Democrats acknowledged it was not likely to pass. The change would require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature, and Republicans blocked a similar proposal in budget talks with Brown earlier this year.

"Any time you have legislation, it's the work of more than one hand," Brown said at the biotech company Gen-Probe Inc. "There are some Republicans that are already on board, and there's active discussion by those individuals with other legislators of that party. So, I'm reasonably optimistic we're going to get something by the end of the week.

Who's Lobbying against Our Environment and Public Health?

September 6, 2011 by Calitics

Cross-posted from the CA League of Conservation Voters blog, Groundswell.

I work for an advocacy group, and one of our jobs is to make sure that Californians have a voice in Sacramento. This applies to our work to pass legislation addressing issues that range from protecting our air quality to improving access to safe water to safeguarding the public from exposure to toxic chemicals.  There are numerous commonsense bills that are introduced every year in the legislature that deal with those issues and more that end up with a barrage of opposition claiming that the bills will do more damage than good. 

Ron Johnson, Clueless in Washington: Step aside, Mr. Obama; let me show you how it's done

August 30, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Do you think there is anything Sen. Ron Johnson knows more about than President Barack Obama, except plastic manufacturing? (That's assuming he actually knows something about that, having been set up in the biz by his daddy-in-law.)

Johnson, who has no reason whatsoever to think that, believes he could show the President a thing or two.

His op ed columnin the right-wing Washington Times leaves you speechless.

If only Johnson were king for a day --or even president -- we'd all be rolling in clover. Seriously. He believes that. First thing we do, we kill all the lawyers -- no, we repeal ALL of the Obama initiatives, whatever they may be.

He'd especially like to show the Pres how to create jobs -- probably by hiiring prisoners, like he did at his Oshkosh plastics factory, and letting the state pay for their health care.

Read it yourself if you must. Have a barf bag handy.