The annual California AUTOMATIC gas tax increase occurs every July. Perhaps it’s a good thing. It’s a yearly reminder about our state’s sky-high, anti-people gas tax. Let’s review.

Perhaps you — like most Californians — think that you are not getting much road repair “bang” for your gas tax buck. You are absolutely correct.

According to this research by a “pro road” entity, California roads are the SECOND worst in the nation. Only Rhode Island is deemed to be worse.

45% of California’s roads are listed as “poor.” The national average is 20%. While the outfit’s definition of “poor roads” is probably somewhat exaggerated, the DIFFERENCE between states is a fair “bang for the buck” comparison. Go to this website below and click the “state road… Read More

Below is a chart, summarizing the average per kWh cost of electricity. It’s the January, 2021 figures. It’s not good news for “renewable power” obsessed California.

It compares usage categories for CA vs. the national average — an average that INCLUDES California. I run this comparison periodically. I last ran this comparison in about December, 2019. The disparity in cost for CA has only gotten worse since then. Especially for residential use.

Our sky high “industrial” rates — more than DOUBLE the national average, — are doubtless a significant factor why manufactures and other heavy power users (such at Internet server farms) are leaving the Golden State.

The source of this information compares ALL states, for those of you that are interested: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?

An excellent SAN DIEGO U-T article details a study of the TOTAL gasoline taxes paid by Californians. It costs more than even I realized. We are the highest gas tax state — even higher than tax-crazed Hawaii.

The study concludes that thetotalCA gas tax currently is $1.19 a gallon. But according to my calculations, it’s even more. Included are some arcane taxes and mandates disguised as “fees.”

EXCERPT: • The federal government charges an excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon.

• Plus, there’s a state sales tax. It can vary by area but the Stillwater analysis estimated the sales tax averages 10.7 cents per gallon. Put together, Californians pay 79.6 cents per gallon in gas taxes.

Now for thefeesNoda says are often overlooked:

• Underground Storage Tank fee of 2 cents per… Read More

In the midst of this California blue wave debacle, I found some remarkably GOOD news. Mind you, I’m not a “good news” sort of guy.

Let me be clear: California is doomed. I don’t expect that to change for decades, if ever.

I write regularly about which states are best for fiscally sane, limited government, liberty loving Californians to flee to. Almost all are better than California, though some are MUCH better than others.

If I can talk the rest of my family into departing for another state (Tennessee is my favorite), we’ll be out of here. So far, I’m having no luck.

But I digress.

Democrats win the overwhelming majority of the partisan races in the state. And by a wide margin. That’s NOT the good news.

The good news is the voters’ response to the statepropositions. See the chart below.

While the final vote totals will change, the results are generally favorable to REPUBLICAN positions. Even where the GOP position on a prop lost, it was a close contest. This is doubtless a surprise to most of our CA MSM and politicians.

It gets more interesting when… Read More

Recently I’ve been fascinated to read the Internet comments of otherwise intelligent people who think that the main cost of a costly California restaurant meal is the food ingredients.

At CaliforniaGov. Jerry Brown’s “Exit Interview” Tuesday, the Sacramento Press Club auctioned off autographed souvenirs from his years in the Governor’s office, including cartoons of his budget press conference presentations of charts and graphs, Proposition 30 memorabilia increasing sales and income taxes, and graphs showing state government living within its means. Other charts showed record spending levels.

Gov. Jerry Brown is known for his infrequent and rather unscripted press conferences, often making glib remarks, or quoting Zen Buddhism, Latin theology, philosophy, and “ontology” – the nature of being. Tuesday Brown did not disappoint during his “Exit Interview,” as he prepares to leavethe Governor’s office for the last time on Jan. 7.

… Read More

Los Angeles attorney Eric Early, working with a group of Santa Barbara parents and teachers over anti-Caucasian, anti-male, anti-Christian and ‘Unconscious Bias’ curriculum, filed a complaint complaintMonday evening in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf ofFair Education Santa Barbaraagainst the Santa Barbara Unified School District andJUST CommunitiesCentral Coast.

In an interview, Early said they brought suit against the “anti-Caucasian, anti-Christian organization calling itself, Just Communities Central Coast, Inc. (“JCCC”), and its’ willing enabler, SBUSD,” because Defendants have employed and continue to employ policies and procedures for teaching SBUSD’s teachers and students that unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex and religion.

From the lawsuit, Early includes the following chart, one of many examples, copied directly from… Read More

It is no secret that U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris has her eye on a run for the Presidency in 2020. Yet Larry Wallace, a senior staffer for Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) reportedly resigned on Wednesday over the discovery he was involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit and $400,000 payout to the victim whileworkingfor then California Attorney General Kamala Harris. And Kamala Harris claims to know nothing of this.… Read More