income tax

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

No federal bailout for California budget

California's state and local governments won't be getting any new direct aid from latest federal pandemic relief package.

By

Dan Walters

• December 22, 2020

California Divide

Coronavirus wipes away recent wage gains for many California workers, report finds

New research finds the pandemic has likely stripped away most of the wage gains made after the Great Recession by California’s lowest earners. State Democrats and Republicans are proposing various solutions, but experts warn jobs alone will not bridge growing inequality.

By

Jackie Botts

• December 15, 2020

Commentary

Poll confirms Californians’ sour mood on higher taxes

A poll of California voters, conducted just before the election, finds a high level of resistance to new taxes.

By

Dan Walters

• November 24, 2020

Commentary

What will tax increase advocates do now?

California voters have rejected Proposition 15, so what will advocates of higher taxes do now?

By

Dan Walters

• November 15, 2020

WhatMatters

10,000 unemployment claims backlogged per day — claims paused for 2 weeks

Planning on applying for unemployment benefits? Well, you won’t be able to do so for the next two weeks. California’s beleaguered unemployment department is putting a pause on new claims until Oct. 5 to give it time to implement an automatic identity-verification tool to speed up processing times. The move follows recommendations outlined in a […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• September 21, 2020

Mariana with her daughter Genessis, 8, and son Gerardo, 2, on September 7, 2020. The family of four shares a one-bedroom apartment in National City but have fallen behind on rent payment due to Mariana and her husband both losing months of work amid the pandemic. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

California Divide

Newsom weighs aid for undocumented Californians weathering pandemic with no safety net

Lawmakers passed two safety net measures aimed at helping undocumented residents, many who work in essential jobs, access groceries and tax credits. Will Gov. Gavin Newsom sign the bills?

By

Jackie Botts

• September 8, 2020

Commentary

Newsom’s leadership needed for special legislative session to focus on taxing the super wealthy and investing in an equitable recovery

Several revenue proposals are on the table for California to confront the crises created by systemic inequities compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 20, 2020

California Divide

‘We live paycheck to paycheck’: Undocumented workers struggle as economy grinds to a halt

More than 2 million undocumented workers, who do not quality for many state and federal benefits, are among the hardest hit Californians as the economy is battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Congress is working to provide an emergency relief fund that could benefit U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents. However, undocumented workers are not included. Also, […]

By

Jacqueline Garcia

and

Jackie Botts

• March 24, 2020

Politics

Doing your taxes? Here are Gov. Gavin Newsom’s most recent returns

Tax filings for 2018 show Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom took in $1.2 million. Most of that money came from his wine and hospitality businesses.

By

Judy Lin

• March 7, 2020

The Hurricane Hunters fly a WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft into the North Pacific to meet an atmospheric river on January 28, 2020. Photo by Rachel Becker for CalMatters

WhatMatters

Dams at risk + Riding atmospheric rivers + Coronavirus concerns

California dams are at risk. Scientists study atmospheric rivers and climate change. State responds to coronavirus cases.

By

Dan Morain

• February 26, 2020

Income Tax