Tax Bill Would Shift More of Burden to Wealthiest Residents

The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee has approved two measures that could affect the taxes paid by Californians.

One bill (AB 2917) would grant a 10% income tax credit for Social Security taxes. At the same time, the bill would impose a higher tax rate on individuals with taxable incomes above $110,000 and joint filers above $220,000.

Assemblyman Johan Klehs (D-Castro Valley), the committee chairman, said his measure would reduce state income taxes by $2 billion for about 90% of the state’s taxpayers and increase taxes by the same amount for the wealthiest 2% of the taxpayers.

“My proposal is based on fairness, plain and simple,” Klehs said.

The Revenue and Taxation Committee also approved a measure (SCA 2) by Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear) to reduce the vote required for approval of local bond measures for new schools, libraries and other civic projects from two-thirds to a simple majority.

Both measures now move on to other Assembly committees for further consideration. GOVERNOR

Appointed Phillip G. Bardos of Los Angeles and David S. L. Lee of Los Altos Hills to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Both are Republicans and will be paid $100 per meeting plus expenses. Bardos replaces Manuel S. Pena of Palm Desert, whose term expired, and Lee replaces Hideko Bannai of Gardena, whose term also expired. The appointments require state Senate confirmation.

Signed into law a bill (AB 1893) by Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos) to set up procedures for the garnishment of a defendant’s wages if he or she fails to make court-ordered restitution payments for a crime victim’s monetary losses.

Will attend a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council luncheon in Los Angeles on Thursday and an Armenian Martyrs Day commemoration in San Francisco on Sunday.

ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Arson: Passed and sent to the governor on a 68-0 vote a bill (AB 1317) by Assemblyman Norm Waters (D-Plymouth) to increase the maximum potential penalty by an additional one to three years’ imprisonment for convicted repeat arsonists who set fire to structures or forestland.

Steroids: Passed and sent to the governor on a 67-0 vote a bill (AB 2064) by Assemblyman Steve Clute (D-Riverside) to prohibit advertising of anabolic steroids unless it indicates possession and use of steroids is illegal and subject to fine and imprisonment if not obtained by prescription. SENATE Floor Action

Confirm: Voted 32-0 to confirm the gubernatorial appointment of Dorinda V. Henderson as director of the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Committee Action

Medfly: Agriculture and Water Resources Committee defeated a bill (SB1823) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) that would have halted repeated aerial pesticide spraying to combat the Mediterranean fruit fly. The measure also would have required that a health risk assessment be conducted by state health officials and required public health and environmental monitoring for pest eradication programs. Bill Introductions

Tuna: SCR 64 by Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-San Jose) asks President Bush and the Congress to pass legislation to require the labeling of tuna products caught by methods deemed to be harmful to dolphins, porpoises and whales.

Capital Fact

The number of motor vehicles registered in California continued to increase in 1989, with almost 500,000 new vehicles bringing the total to more than 25 million, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.