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- A Budget That Tightens Belts by Emptying Stomachs May 25, 2013 - The Huffington Post And among those who can afford to keep their pantries stocked, many are still too poor to afford healthy, fresh food. Many immigrant families are also excluded due to their legal status. Far from supplementing welfare "dependency," SNAP actually supports work. After all, food stamps symbolize not only the failure of "free markets" but the power of social policy to reduce endemic human suffering.
- European Parliament Moves to Limit Scope of Eventual U.S. Trade Deal May 25, 2013 - New York Times That would translate into an extra €545 a year for each family of four in the Union, the commission said.
- Local Farming Void? Military Veterans Are Answer May 25, 2013 - The Huffington Post Veterans are able to talk with farmers, attend workshops on financing and related business topics. Credit: Flickr / USDAgov Mark Winkworth. Credit: JJ Britt Zester Soapbox contributor Mark Winkworth is a marketing communications consultant, creative writer and artist living in Pasadena, Calif.
- The Lasting Impact of the IRS Scandal May 25, 2013 - The Huffington Post The IRS has never been the most beloved of government organizations. This is the basic arithmetic of enforcing tax codes. These Republicans represent a formidable foe for the president.
- Op-Ed Columnist: Here Comes the Sun May 25, 2013 - New York Times On Tuesday, despite the overwhelming evidence presented by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations that Apple engaged in dubious tax avoidance gimmicks, Cook claimed that Apple never resorted to tax gimmickry. He even said that the low taxes Apple pays overseas is on the profits of its overseas sales. Just wondering.)Levin has proposed a bill that would curb the most blatant abuses of the tax code like the Double Irish.
- Red states hold the edge in growth May 25, 2013 - The Washington Times Eight are blue states, while Ohio is the only purple state and Missouri is the lone red state. Blue-state Michigan, although the study predicts an economic turnaround based on recent moves by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder (elected in 2010) and fiscal conservatives in the legislature. How can a low-performing state rev up its economy?
- High & Low Finance: The Corrosive Effect of Apple's Tax Avoidance May 25, 2013 - New York Times They praised Apple for avoiding taxes, saying that benefited its shareholders. Apple kept those rights in its United States operation. They have denounced taxes for so long that some of them seem to view those who manage to legally avoid paying taxes as heroes.
- OPINION: Andres Oppenheimer: While Pacific Alliance thrives, Mercosur withers May 25, 2013 - The Miami Herald Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC). Furthermore, amid a general slowdown in global commerce, trade among Pacific Alliance countries grew by 1.3 percent last year, while trade among Mercosur members declined by 9.4 percent, ECLAC figures show. The economic divide between Latin America's Pacific and Atlantic blocs became increasingly visible at last week's summit of Pacific Alliance countries in Cali, Colombia. At the meeting Pacific Alliance countries claimed...
- Senators defend hold harmless elimination May 25, 2013 - Ruidoso News Bill Richardson. Ruidoso Village Manager Debi Lee has estimated the elimination of hold harmless would cost the village more than $600,000 annually. Stuart Ingle, a Republican from Portales and Senate minority leader, "brave" for facing an audience of people who opposed the bill. Ingle said the population figure won't be changed until the next census in 2020.
- In Tax Overhaul Debate, It's Large vs. Small Companies May 25, 2013 - New York Times Among the big names escaping corporate taxes and paying taxes as pass-throughs are Bechtel, the global construction and engineering giant, and Mars, the candy and food maker. A spokeswoman for Bechtel said it was a private company and would not comment on its tax status. O’Neal switched to pass-through status in 1987.
- NK-Arnold OKs proposed tax hike May 25, 2013 - The Valley News-Dispatch ...tax levy, McVey said the district still would have about a $2.5 million deficit next year that would be drawn from reserve funds. The fund balance is expected to be about $2.9 million at the end of this school year. It is projected to drop to a mere $370,000 by the end of the 2013-14 year, McVey said. "We've been eroding the fund balance for quite a few years," McVey agreed. Part of the problem is that the tax base in Arnold and New Kensington is decreasing in value,...
- Myrtle Beach area Realtors lobby in Congress and legislature May 25, 2013 - The Sun News For each homeowner, the amount that can be deducted goes down as the mortgage ages. Forbes.com said that the federal tax deduction for real estate taxes keeps $153 million out of the federal treasury.
- United School District eyes 8-mill tax hike May 25, 2013 - The Blairsville Dispatch Robert Lichtenfels and John Poorbaugh voted against the budget, both indicating they wanted more time to review and discuss the spending plan. New prices will be $2.20 for elementary students and $2.30 at the junior-senior high school. Henry E. Baldinucci and Phillip J. Turco were appointed as school district physicians for 2013-14, each at a salary of $4,000.
- BRIEF: Chafee plan to import Canadian hydropower meets united opposition May 25, 2013 - The Providence Journal R.I. -- Opposition to a proposal by Governor Chafee to bring hydropower from Canada to Rhode Island continued at a legislative hearing Wednesday night, with representatives of a wide variety of energy and environmental groups decrying the controversial move. "How many times have you seen all of the environmental organizations on the same side as National Grid, on the same side as the fossil fuel generators, on the same side as the renewable energy developers?" Jerry Elmer, staff...
- SemGroup, Pakistani energy delegation to meet Friday May 25, 2013 - Tulsa World May 24--SemGroup Corp.
- Genetically Engineered Trees and Glowing Synthetic Plants? No Thanks May 25, 2013 - The Huffington Post Public opinion is unequivocally opposed to genetically engineered trees. ArborGen's tree engineers tell us they have inserted genes into the trees that will render them incapable of reproduction. Yet, instead we are considering paving over the landscape with genetically engineered, water-sucking, flammable, invasive eucalyptus?
- Dot Earth Blog: Dot Chat: From Energy Campaigner to Solar Finance Entrepreneur May 25, 2013 - New York Times 3:15 p.m. | Updated | I spent 45 minutes earlier today in an invigorating online discussion of new models for financing small solar-energy installations. All told, Mosaic has raised $1.1 million for a dozen solar projects to date. Now it is connecting with other solar developers to identify new projects for financing.
- EDITORIAL: Apple and the tax code's rotten core May 25, 2013 - The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) For all the talk about high U.S. tax rates, Apple's accounting methods show, yet again, that few companies are burdened by top rates.
- Furlough Friday: 4 agencies close - GRASSLEY: LERNER REFUSED TO RESIGN - Obama pivots from war - Tom Ridge gets a portrait - Bonner to resign - Gomez to Markey: You're pond scum May 25, 2013 - Politico Obama said. ‘But this war, like all wars, must end. Witt nominated Bonner's older sister, Judy Bonner, for the University of Alabama presidential position in October 2012 following the abrupt exit of then-President Guy Bailey. Lerner’s resignation, and she refused to resign,” Grassley said. ‘She was then put on administrative leave instead.
- Is Governor Brown Playing 13 Tzameti With the Climate? May 25, 2013 - The Huffington Post Each successive round of 13 Tzameti is more dangerous, with players increasing the odds of death in each round by loading another bullet into the gun's chamber. The state set a baseline of 507 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, and a goal of reducing that to 427 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Brown has yet to pull the trigger on fracking.
