- Sep 4, 2010 Educational Gaps Limit Brazil's Reach (New York Times) Brazil has already established itself as a global force, riding a commodity and domestic consumption boom to become one of the largest economies in the world. Haddad said.But those successes fall short of the urgent thrust for change that some education specialists were hoping to see from Mr. da... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Patients' choices may narrow as insurers adjust standards for doctors, hospitals (Chicago Tribune) While insurance companies say quality is what gets the name of a doctor or hospital on its preferred choices list, cost is also a major factor. Illinois Blue Cross has two HMOs, HMO Illinois and BlueAdvantage, and is considering a third health plan with a smaller network. Kenneth Anderson is... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Palm Beach County tax rates climbing, while government services cut amid struggling economy (Sun Sentinel) It amounts to a 1 percent cut in schools' general fund budgets. The district continued its salary freezes for all 21,000 employees. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Dudley, Kitzhaber maneuver on state employee pay issue (The Oregonian) The Salem-based union represents some 23,000 workers in state agencies and the higher education system. Both unions say they will make the governor's race a major priority, although it's still unclear how much they will spend. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Where N.M. Voters Stand On The Budget and Vouchers (Albuquerque Journal) But even the combination of cuts and tax hikes hasn't been enough, and Gov. The rest of the budget is used for transportation, health, public safety and all other state government services. Survey results for the statewide voter sample have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Pleasant Hill utility tax ballot measure draws support, derision (Contra Costa Times) They argue that the utility tax would provide a steady source of income that the state can't take away. Is that when we go forward and ask?" Currently, the utility tax only applies to intrastate landline phone service, and brings in about $189,000 per year. Wendy Lack, who opposes Measure T,... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 St. Petersburg Times, Fla., Ivan Penn column (St. Petersburg Times) Suzanne Grant, a spokeswoman for Progress Energy, said some 30 percent of low-income customers eligible for the weatherization program do not use it. Progress Energy offers that to specific communities in its 35-county coverage area on a predetermined schedule. But anyone can request the home... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Democrats say new tax plan would cut Cailfornia deficit without raising taxes (The Sacramento Bee) Democrats originally proposed a 1.65 percent rate. But the Legislative Analyst's Office and other reviewers concluded that the plan would have cost middle-class taxpayers more in fiscal 2011-12. But the same filer would, on average, receive a $112 federal deduction and a $524 reduction in sales... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Buyers line up for bids on delinquent property (The Commercial Appeal) Here's how a tax sale works: A landowner doesn't pay his or her taxes and they become delinquent. FRTL of Denver spent $689,000, while College Investments of Meridian, Miss., shelled out almost $390,000, said Tammy Rhoda, deputy tax collector. So far, Mary Essary said, there have been interest... more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Corn dogs ... and taxes (Pioneer Press) This is not the answer for Minnesota." Horner denied that he would tax those sales and services. Paul." (It's "blatantly untrue" the state aid is paying for sidewalk poetry, said Bob Hume, St. The sidewalk poetry is funded by Public Art St. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Public money feeds business growth in St. Paul (Star Tribune) Paul Port Authority for high-efficiency lighting and refrigeration systems. Composting would take care of waste and aid in creating energy. Greenhouse construction is set to begin next year. "For me, St. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Study ranks Pa. 38th in roads quality (The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) Under the study's proposal, $1.35 billion would be taken from roads and bridges and shifted to transit. more...
- Sep 4, 2010 Virginia's roads suffer slide in annual rankings (The Virginian-Pilot) In the past few years, two had to be closed because money was not available to fix them. more...
- Sep 3, 2010 Democrats running on austerity (Washington Post) President George W. Bush's tax cuts, enacted in 2001 and 2003, are scheduled to expire this year. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan of Missouri is one of several high-profile Democrats who advocate keeping the Bush cuts in place until the economy improves. When you look at the budget dynamics, that... more...
- Sep 3, 2010 For Democrats, Economy Fuels Election Fears (New York Times) Many are embracing the stimulus package enacted soon after Mr. Giffords.Representative Walt Minnick, Democrat of Idaho, boasts at home that he opposed the stimulus package and Mr. Obama to get more engaged in the fight to end the tax cuts for the wealthy. more...
- Sep 3, 2010 Dems have few options on economy (Politico) If you’re President Barack Obama, you go out and talk about the economy — in Milwaukee on Monday, Cleveland on Wednesday and at a White House news conference Friday. Why should anything proposed so close to the election be treated any differently? Timing is to politics what location is to... more...
- Sep 3, 2010 Beaches spot on Jacksonville City Council filled as steep tax hike proposed for area (The Florida Times-Union) Charlie Crist appointed Dick Brown, a former Neptune Beach mayor and Jacksonville City Council member, to the position, making the third change to that council seat in the past year. It was 0.5 mills less than what Jacksonville should have charged Beaches property owners under an interlocal... more...
- Sep 3, 2010 Despite budget cuts, NJ homeowners still face sky-high property taxes (Asbury Park Press) The bottom line is this: Higher taxes are coming to New Jersey. The property owners are paying dearly. "Loch Arbour is not a wealthy community," McBain said. "We are working-class schlubs, most of us. The borough has entered into several shared services agreements with nearby municipalities,... more...
- Sep 3, 2010 White House considers pre-midterm package of business tax breaks to spur hiring (Washington Post) Policy staffers are debating a range of options. For example, a payroll-tax holiday - a top priority of many business groups - could be applied only to new hires or extended to current employees. And depending on its form and duration, a payroll-tax holiday could cost more than $300 billion. more...
- Sep 3, 2010 Would Neumann's plan to eliminate 2011 property taxes work? (The Wisconsin State Journal) No, according to Todd Berry, president of Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. Berry said the proposal is really a "tax deferment." Homeowners still have to pay those taxes. This includes older homeowners who have paid off their mortgages. more...
