State and local tax news — from state income tax quirks to property tax fights, because not all tax battles happen in Washington.
Okay, I’m all about Twitter. But you probably knew that already… And if you didn’t, you can follow me @taxgirl on Twitter. But how much does San Francisco love Twitter? It seems that the super trendy, quickly expanding social media site is thinking about leaving the city by the bay to move to San Bruno….
We have a recurring problem at my house where my kids do something they know they’re not supposed to do and believe they can fix it with a simple “I’m sorry” after the fact. We’ve had the whole discussion about how it doesn’t help to say that you’re sorry if you’re not going to change…
Would you report your neighbor for cheating on their taxes? What if you got paid for doing it? San Francisco has, for the last five years, offered up to 10% of the take for members of public who turn in their neighbors for failing to pay their fair share of taxes. It’s not the only…
At a time when most states are looking for the next big thing to slap a tax on, Massachusetts is looking to cut back on those extras. Beginning this weekend, the state is eliminating the state sales tax on alcohol. Massachusetts imposed a sales tax of 6.25% on sales of alcohol, putting it pretty much…
According to retailers in Anderson, SC, more guns are sold in South Carolina in the weekend after Thanksgiving than at any other time of the year. No, it’s not that eating turkey at the holidays makes you want to run out and shoot up some more dinner. Or the thought of the Christmas loot coming…
Today marks what is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year in the US. The day after Thanksgiving is referred to as Black Friday because the volume of sales switches most stores from the red (in the hole) to the black (profitable). This year, holiday sales are expected to be the best in a…
In one of the more bizarre statements this post-election season, Gov. Pat Quinn (D) of Illinois has advised the legislature that an alternative plan to raise revenue won’t work and instead, he wants to focus on raising the state’s income tax. Days after squeaking by in the gubernatorial race, Quinn told the Chicago Sun-Times that…
Seattle, long known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the US, may be facing some resistance in its efforts to green up the city a bit more. With a multimillion dollar deficit looming, Mayor Mike McGinn is threatening to pull financing for the city’s Bike Master Plan; specific projects planned for the coming…
I have to say that I remain fascinated by the vote in Washington state that would have transferred a majority of the tax burden onto the upper wage earners (those earning more than $200,000 as individuals and $400,000 as married couples). Despite the fact that most Washington taxpayers would be financially better off under the…
When I first moved to Pennsylvania from North Carolina, I thought I had hit the lottery. I distinctly remember standing in Express buying some clothes on sale and waiting for the total. When the sales girl finished ringing me up, the total showed. It was the same as the subtotal. I stood there for a…