Tax

I am the sole Newport Beach council vote against what is colloquially referred to as the "dock tax. " The new charge increases government/regulation, creates a new source of revenue and redistributes more of the hard-earned money of the people who are motivated to make the economy work. The solution to investing in our harbor infrastructure lays in prudent management of existing tidelands revenues, not creating new fiscal and regulatory burdens for residents. * Bigger government The dock tax will be levied on a square-foot basis.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Coast Community College District trustees have come out in support of a proposed statewide tax increase aimed at staving off cuts to classes, programs, services and staff. The Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday in support of Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax initiative, which is expected to be placed on the November ballot. Failure of the tax increase would leave the district with a projected $13.7-million deficit in 2013-14 — after using up its reserves to get through 2012-13, Andy Dunn, vice chancellor of finance and administrative services, said during Wednesday's meeting.

The Newport Beach City Council just unanimously approved a new "fee" for donors amounting to 10% of the item's value. This means that if I donate to the city a new pretty park bench that appraises at $500, then I'll need to cut a check to the city for an additional $50 to cover the city's maintenance of that item. But more on that later. The United States of America gives financial incentives for certain behaviors, in the form of expense deductions and tax credits to everyone who files an income tax return.

Five years ago, you thought you were voting to spend $163 million -- $110 through the Measure A tax and $53 million in matching state funds -- to bring our schools up to the proper health and safety codes. You now know, however, that the school board miscalculated; that it underestimated the amount that was needed to do all the work at all the schools. Of its list of seven priorities established through Measure A five years ago, there is only enough money to get through the top four.

Representatives of several youth organizations have said that Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece’s proposal to tax their proceeds from Fourth of July fireworks sales to pay for heightened enforcement and education measures around the city would take away much-needed funding. An additional tax on top of all the time and effort it takes to run a booth may cause some to reconsider whether they want to operate fireworks stands to raise money for sports equipment, academic supplies and team trips.

Newport Coast grows weary of 7-year query into how county spent money in '80s, '90s.Frustrated by a seven-year search for as much as $20 million in tax money they paid the county, Newport Coast residents are demanding answers and considering litigation. Residents and Newport Beach officials have been trying to find out how Orange County officials spent tax money assessed to Newport Coast homeowners in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A final report on the spending is due out in January, but the Newport Coast Advisory Committee plans to press for legal action against the county if it isn't satisfied.

Paul Clinton NEWPORT-MESA -- A local congressman's bill to protect the Internet from "discriminatory" taxes could face a vote in the Senate as early as this week. The Senate will reconvene for business today, after a Monday closure. The bill, introduced by Rep. Chris Cox and passed in the House of Representatives on Oct. 16, has been dwarfed by airport security, economic recovery and other weightier matters. But the possibility of Internet taxation has sparked debate again this month, especially after a moratorium on taxation expired Oct. 21. Cox and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.

Last week Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece proposed a tax on fireworks sales to cover the cost of policing the city during the July Fourth celebration period. The initial report was that this tax would be 20% but Leece was later quoted in the Daily Pilot as saying it probably would not have to be that high. The idea was endorsed by Mayor Alan Mansoor and opposed by council members Gary Monahan and Katrina Foley. Mayor Eric Bever was not at the meeting March 10. My first thought was that Leece and Mansoor are either ignorant or insensitive.

COSTA MESA — A gigantic ATM machine towered over the entrance to the Orange County Market Place Saturday morning, but it didn’t have any cash inside. Instead, the 12-foot inflatable ATM was there to provide a message to customers heading in to do their morning shopping. The grassroots organization Americans for Prosperity has transported the portable display to more than 20 locations statewide this year to urge voters to sign a petition opposing higher taxes — and, according to the group, the ATM symbolizes the state’s willingness to draw taxpayers’ money to solve budget problems.

Costa Mesa's business license tax seems poised again for City Council discussion. Following Councilwoman Wendy Leece's request Tuesday afternoon for the Finance Advisory Committee to examine the annual tax, its members decided to wait for council direction. The scope of the newly renamed committee - it was previously the Investment Oversight Committee - requires such direction, they contended. "This is a big issue when you start talking about tax increases," said Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger, who serves on the committee as the mayor's designee.

Ahoy! April means different things to different people - like making the last minute tax-filing deadline, or the Lexus Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race - but to me, April means the Newport Boat Show. In my column last week, I mentioned how a couple of states have capped their vessel sales tax to try to lure more boat sales to their states. Additionally, did you know that the large boat shows in Florida generate more for the state's economy in a few weeks than the citrus industry generates in a whole year?

Opponents to a fee increase for Newport Harbor's residential docks are urging affected homeowners to ignore them. But the city said anyone who doesn't pay could face a 10% penalty. Stop the Dock Tax and the Newport Beach Dock Owners Assn. plan to send out 1,100 mailers this week advocating that recipients avoid paying the "pier residential" fee included in water, sewer and recycling bills. The groups want residents to hold off paying while a lawsuit opposing the fees winds its way through the courts.

Newport Beach residents unhappy with a large increase to residential dock rents will try to prevent the city from collecting the fee while their lawsuit works its way through court. The Newport Beach Dock Owners Assn. announced Thursday that it will seek a temporary restraining order during a Tuesday court date barring the city from collecting the fee. The Dock Owners Assn. is suing the city, alleging it violated California's open meetings law while it was considering the rate increases.

Ahoy! As California struggles financially and sales tax generated from boat sales is dramatically down, yet another state has taken a step to increase its sales tax revenue. Maryland's legislature voted this week to cap the state's vessel tax at $15,000, following suit with Florida. Now before you start emailing me that this only helps the wealthy, let us review the aftermath of the tax cap in Florida. In 2010, Florida capped vessel sales tax at $18,000, which brought offshore and out-of-state sales back into the state, thus increasing revenues overall.

Property tax payments are due Wednesday. Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich gave taxpayers a heads-up Thursday that the second installment of property taxes is due April 10. Payments received after that date, unless postmarked before the deadline, will be slapped with a late penalty of 10% of the amount owed. Taxpayers have the option of registering their email address to receive a reminder one day before the final payment date. An email will also be sent when the 2013-14 tax bills are available online.

It started three years ago, innocently enough, by a well-meaning professional bureaucrat charged with managing Newport Harbor. Then-Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff requested a Harbor Area Management Plan (HAMP), the City Council funded the $200,000 study and shazam — a solution in search of a problem was launched. With more than $100 million in "improvements" to fend off global warming outlined in the HAMP, the bureaucrats had the validation they needed to set in motion the juggernaut resulting in the largest property tax levy in Newport's history.

It would take new sales or parcel taxes for the city of Costa Mesa to meet its long-term pension obligations, a Stanford University professor told the City Council on Tuesday night. Joe Nation said the scenario surrounding the difference between the amounts promised to retirees versus projected available funding to meet those commitments to the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is "stark. " Nation, a Democrat speaking before four of the five Republicans on the council, said his bleak assessment was about math and numbers, not "beating up anybody.

I am the sole Newport Beach council vote against what is colloquially referred to as the "dock tax. " The new charge increases government/regulation, creates a new source of revenue and redistributes more of the hard-earned money of the people who are motivated to make the economy work. The solution to investing in our harbor infrastructure lays in prudent management of existing tidelands revenues, not creating new fiscal and regulatory burdens for residents. * Bigger government The dock tax will be levied on a square-foot basis.

The press has not reported a significant aspect of the passage of the "dock tax" by the Newport Beach City Council. In City Manager Dave Kiff's report to the council, recommending passage of the dock tax, he stated: "Historically, the city has followed the lead of the state and not charged rent for residential piers located over Tidelands. However, in 2011 the governor signed into law SB 152, which required the State Lands Commission to begin charging rent for residential piers. Because the city is a trustee of the state in regards to Tidelands property, the city should comport its actions to that of the state and charge fair market value rent for the use of Tidelands by residential piers.