March 2, 2013 (Sacramento) – Effective July 1, 2013, the excise tax on gasoline will increase 3.5 cents per gallon following a vote February 28, 2013 by the California State Board of Equalization. The Board is sensitive to the financial impact consumers are feeling at the pump, but state law requires the BOE to adjust the excise tax rate by March 1 of each year in order to ensure revenue neutrality.

As gasoline prices increase, the relative amount of state sales tax that would be collected, but for the fuel tax swap, decreases and must be offset by an increase in the excise tax rate.

November 28, 2012 -- (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecti all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Supreme  Court blocks Illinois law banning taping of police (Chicago Tribune)
• More Republicans break with Norquist on anti-tax pledge (Washington Post)
• U.S. Fiscal cliff: Death, taxes and the GOP (BBC)
• U.S. gas prices see sharpest dip since 2008 (CNN)
• Millions will qualify for new options under health care law in next few months; most have no idea (Washington Post)
• Five economic trends to be thankful for (Washington Post)

WORLD

• Electronic tracking: New constraint for Saudi women (France24)
• Anger as Hungarian far-right leader demands list of Jews (Reuters)
• Spanish company involved in nuclear smuggling scheme with Iran (Reuters)
• Clinton announces cease fire between Israel and Hamas (The Hill)
• With Clinton’s shuttle diplomacy success, focus shifts to long-term Mideast solution (Washington Post)
• Egypt: Who holds the power? (BBC)
• Egyptian judges prepare for a strike (NPR)
• Call for noise based wind buffer laws (Queensland Country Life)

HEALTH

• Grapefruit and pills mix: warning (BBC)
• Abortion rate drops 5%, largest drop in decade (LA Times)
• Rare Meat Allergy Caused By Tick Bites May Be On The Rise  (NPR)
• Dogs being trained to sniff out ovarian cancer (CBS News)
• FDA halts operations at peanut butter plant (UT San Diego)
• Smoking rots brain, says study (BBC)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

• 7 U.S. soldiers wounded after Afghan naval base attacked (Reuters)
• Cruiseline: 22 passengers robbed in Mexico resort (CNN)
• National gas prices up 18 cents in last two weeks (San Francisco Chronicle)
• House GOP leaders announce vote on jobs creation package as early as next week (The Hill)

• Romney wins Michigan, Arizona, in big night (CNN)
• Presidential race highlights California GOP convention (KPBS)
• Obama mocks GOP on gas price issue (USA Today)
• Poll: Romney overtaking Santorum nationally (The Hill)
• UAW to protest Romney at Daytona 500 (Detroit News)
• Maher donates $1 million to Obama super pac  (USA Today)
• Santorum says he “almost threw up” after reading JFK speech on separation of church, state (Washington Post)

• Karzai urges Afghans to avoid violent retaliations over Koran burnings  (Washington Post)
• Children left behind in world’s city boom: UNICEF (RawStory)
• Nigeria unrest: Suicide bomb targets church in Jos (BBC)
• Iran poised for big nuke jump (UT San Diego)

• FDA adds new safety warnings to statin drugs (USA Today)
• Why doctors die differently (Wall Street Journal)

June 19, 2011 (San Diego) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego), whose district may soon extend to include La Mesa, part of El Cajon and other areas in East County with reapportionment, has joined several other legislators in sending a letter asking Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct an investigation into oil speculation.  The legislators seek to “determine whether illegal practices may be artificially inflating oil and gas prices” and also ask for “common sense limits" on the  trading of oil futures.

 “It's infuriating that major oil companies continue to profit from tax exemptions while American families struggle with rising gas prices," Davis said in a letter to constituents. "I joined in sending a letter to Vice President Biden asking him to make sure that cutting unnecessary tax subsidies for major oil companies is part of a deal to reduce the deficit.”

a column written for the East County Magazine

“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”

By Judith L. Seid, CFP ®, President, Blue Summit Wealth Management

April 24, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- Friends, we need to view current gas prices as the “new normal” and not assume that this is a temporary condition. Most people were shocked at the gas prices when they rose in 2008, but this time they are not nearly as shocked and upset, even though prices are surpassing 2008 levels.