SENATE APPROVES TAX BILL WITH DEEP, PERMANENT CUTS FOR CORPORATIONS BUT ONLY SMALL, SHORT-TERM CUTS FOR OTHERS
Loss of deductions and undercutting Affordable Care Act could eliminate savings for many middle class and low-income families and individuals By Miriam Raftery December 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) –By a narrow 51 to 49 vote, the Senate has approved a sweeping tax overhaul bill that marks the first significant legislative victory for President Donald Trump. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act is broad, providing major long-term cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals plus short-term tax cuts for millions of other Americans. But many of the savings for ordinary Americans will be negated, since the bill also takes away numerous tax deductions and eliminates a key provision of the Affordable Healthcare Act Act, meaning premiums will rise and many will lose healthcare, the Washington Post, Forbes and New York Times report. A Washington Post analysis finds that 62 percent of Americans will get a tax cut of at least $100 in 2019, but 38 percent will get no tax cuts. Less than half (44 percent) would have cuts of $500 or more—and most of those are wealthy, not middle class or low income families. By 2027, only 16 percent of individuals will still have tax cuts; 84 percent of Americans will have none. But the cuts for corporations are permanent. The cuts are estimated by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to increase the deficit by $1.3 trillion dollars, a forecast Republican leaders dispute, claiming cutting taxes for companies and the wealthy will result in job creation and economic growth. Here are highlights of how the bill, if signed into law as written, would affect individuals, the healthcare market, corporations and more: Most Individuals The bill cuts rates in all seven tax brackets, but only until 2026. The AARP opposed the bill, saying it would raise taxes on over a million seniors by 2019 due to loss of numerous credits and deductions including elimination of the personal exemption for spouses and each child, deductions for moving expenses, tax preparation costs, and losses from wildfires or other disasters. The bill also limits deductions for state and local income taxes paid to $10,000. Healthcare TCongress has repeatedly failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. But this bill effectively undercuts a key underpinning of the ACA. It eliminates the mandate for people to buy healthcare. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts the Senate bill, if enacted, will cause healthcare premiums to rise about 10 percent a year and cause 4 million people to drop insurance by 2019, with another 13 million forced to drop insurance by 2027 due to lack of affordability. Rising premiums and/or loss of health insurance could far exceed the short-term savings on income taxes for many low and moderate income families. Corporations Biggest beneficiaries are corporations. The tax rate for big businesses will drop from 35 percent to 20 percent starting in 1919, and those cuts are permanent. The aim was to make U.S. corporate taxes less than foreign countries to increase competitiveness. The bill further reduces taxes for multi-national players by requiring them to be taxed mainly on their earnings in the U.S., instead of on all income earned worldwide as is currently required. Business The top rate on the income earned by owners of “flow through” businesses — S corporations and partnerships — is reduced from 39.6% to just under 30%, Forbes reports. This form of business is utilized not only by large businesses but also many smaller firms such as law firms and accounting businesses. The wealthy The Congressional Budget Office estimates over 80 percent of millionaires will pay less in taxes under the Senate measure. In addition to having their taxes reduced with the top tier falling from 39.6 to 38.5 percent, rich people won’t have to pay a penny in inheritance taxes unless their estate is valued over $11 million, or $22 million for married couples. Current law sets the threshold at $5.5 million. The Senate bill means only an estimated 1,800 families a year would pay inheritance tax. Home owners Currently if you sell your home, the first $250,000 that you gain is tax-free if it’s your primary residence and you lived in the house at least two of the last eight years. Now you’d have to live there at least eight years to get the deduction. The bill also eliminates deductions for home equity debt and if you lose your home in a fire, flood, earthquake or other disaster, you can’t take a write-off for your losses. Education The measure lets people spend up to $10,000 a year from tax-advantaged 529 savings accounts to pay for tuition at religious and private schools including K-12 and colleges. The bill imposes a new tax of 1.4 percent on large college endowments to private colleges such as Stanford or the University of San Diego (USD), which would owe the tax on endowments worth over a half million dollars per student. Environment The Senate’s bill would open up Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, along a 1.5 million acre coastal plain. This action has long been opposed by environmentalists but pushed forward by both parties in Alaska, where fossil fuel production profits are shared by Alaskan taxpayers. Senate changes Two controversial clauses in the House version of the bill were eliminated by the Senate. One provision in the House plan would have repealed the Johnson Amendment and allowed churches and other nonprofits to engage in political activities such as lobbying and endorsing candidates. The other clause stricken by the Senate would have allowed parents to use tax-free savings plans for unborn children, language opposed by abortion rights supporters who argued it sought to define a fetus as a person. The Senate also made other changes. The House bill would have eliminated tax deductions for teachers who buy supplies for students. The Senate version does the opposite, doubling the size of that deduction. President Donald Trump hailed passage of the measure on Twitter, stating, “Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in
AMERICAN-POLISH CHRISTMAS PARTY DECEMBER 9
East County News Service December 4, 2017 (La Mesa) – The American Polish Cooperation Society will host an American-Polish Christmas Party on December 9 at 6 p.m. at the home of Renata and George Juchum, 4518 Mayapan Drive in La Mesa. This year’s event is dedicated to two heroes, General Merian Caldwell Cooper and Richard Carpenter. Special guests and supporters include Congressman Duncan Hunter and Senator Joel Anderson, as well as Count and Countess Adam and Hanna Tyszkiewicz, movie directors, writers, and military heroes. For full details, see flyer at http://www.americanpolishcooperationsociety.com/upcoming-events/ or visit www.APCS.com.pl.
SDSU’S MCKYNZIE FORT NAMED MW WBB PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aztec guard picks up third career weekly conference award Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com December 4, 2017 (San Diego) – San Diego State’s McKynzie Fort (Fontana, Calif.) has been named Mountain West Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for a pair of exceptional performances in the Aztecs’ victories over San Diego and Arizona. With her award, the SDSU senior collected her third career weekly award and the Aztecs first of the season. For the week, Fort averaged 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting a combined 60.7 percent from the field (17-28) and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line. Against USD at home on Nov. 29, Fort led all players with 24 points on 10-for-16 shooting (62.5 percent), including the game-winning layup with eight seconds remaining to help the Aztecs snap a four-game losing streak against the Toreros in a dramatic 77-76 triumph. She also dished out a career-high eight assists in that contest and grabbed a team-best six rebounds. Fort continued her stellar play at Arizona on Sunday, pouring in a game-high 26 points to go with six rebounds and two assists. The SDSU guard shot 58.3 percent from the floor (7-12) and tied her personal-best with an 11-for-12 effort at the charity stripe. With the Aztecs nursing a slim 69-67 lead late in the fourth quarter, Fort came up huge down the stretch, sinking seven of eight free throws to help seal the win while contributing to a defense that held the Wildcats scoreless over the final 3:05 of the game. With her efforts, Fort has now surpassed the 20-point plateau 16 times in a Scarlet and Black uniform and moved into ninth place on SDSU’s all-time scoring list with 1,355 career points. Through seven games this year, Fort leads the MW with 17.4 points per game and ranks among the league leaders in field-goal percentage (8th, 48.4), assists (T-9th, 3.6/gm) and assist-to-turnover ratio (T-8th, 1.7. She also tops the squad with 10 steals and is tied for the team lead with 5.3 rebounds per contest. Fort and the Aztecs open a three-game homestand on Friday, Dec. 8 when they play host to UC Irvine in a matinee at Steve Fisher Court, beginning at noon PT. SDSU’s 5-2 record is the team’s best seven-game start to a season since the 2007-08 squad opened with a 6-1 mark.
CHIEF’S CORNER: WIND SAFETY TIPS
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna December 4, 2017 (San Diego) — Wildfires are not the only hazard we have to concern ourselves with during high winds and Red Flag warnings which go into effect today and last through the week. These winds may be our strongest of the season! Did you know the safest place to during high winds is indoors? Outdoors, watch for flying debris. Tree limbs may break and street signs may become loose during strong wind gusts. Keep an eye toward nearby balconies for loose objects that may fall. Take cover next to a building or under a shelter. Stand clear of roadways or train tracks, as a gust may blow you into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Report downed lines. Do not try to free lines or to remove debris yourself. Avoid anything that may be touching downed lines, including vehicles or tree branches and chain link fences. Puddles can conduct electricity in some cases. Warn others to stay away. Do not touch anyone who has been shocked who may be in direct or indirect contact with a power line. You may become a second victim. Get medical attention as quickly as possible by calling 911. When driving, keep both hands on the wheel and slow down. Watch for objects blowing across the roadway and into your path. Falling tree limbs and branches may be in the roadway. Keep a safe distance from cars in adjacent lanes as strong gusts could push a car outside its lane of travel. Take extra care in a high-profile vehicle such as a truck, van, SUV, or when towing a trailer, as these are more prone to be pushed or even flipped by high wind gusts. If winds are severe enough to prevent safe driving, get onto the shoulder of the road and stop, making sure you are away from trees or other tall objects that could fall onto your vehicle. Stay in the car and turn on the hazard lights until the wind subsides. If a line falls on your car, stay inside the vehicle. Take care not to touch any of the metal frame of your vehicle. Do not exit the car until help arrives, unless it catches on fire. To exit, open the door, but do not step out. Jump, without touching any of the metal portions of the car’s exterior, to safe ground and get quickly away. Power outages may be eminent so remember traffic signals may be out so pay extra attention. Visibility may be limited from sand/dust. Watch for obstacles that may have blown into the street. Keep it slow and be safe! *Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.
RED FLAG WARNING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Updated December 4, 2017 December 2, 2017 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service in San Diego is warning of prolonged, critical fire conditions in all areas of our county starting Monday morning through the end of the week. A red flag alert is in effect for coastal, mountain and valley areas through Thursday due to low humidity, above average temperatures and strong offshore winds. A high wind warning has also been issued, with Santa Ana winds at 20 to 30 miles per hour and gusts up to 55 miles an hour forecast. Residents and visitors are asked to please keep vehicles off of dry grass, obey burn bans, properly discard cigarettes, practice safe towing, avoid all activities with open flames or sparks, and evacuate if ordered by officials. Shooting in dry, outdoor areas is also inadvisable and any shooter who starts a fire could be liable for damages that it causes. Sign up to receive free East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via email at the top right side of our homepage and you may also receive our free weekly e-newsletter. You can also follow EastCountyAlert on Twitter for brief alerts on your mobile phone. We recommend all of the above, since you don’t know what form of communication will work best in a regional emergency. We thank our generous sponsors, Grossmont Healthcare District and SDG&E, for their support of our East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts, helping us keep you safe and informed.
SANTA – AND SNOW – ARRIVE AT SANTEE LAKES DEC. 10
East County News Service December 3, 2017 (Santee) — Santa comes to Santee Lakes on Sunday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can also delight in meeting favorite characters from Star Wars and Disney movies on Storybook Island, sliding down Snow Hill, crafts, face painting, carnival rides and rides on ponies, tractors and a train. There is a $10 parking cost, plus ride tickets at $1 each; rides and activities range from one to seven tickets. For more information, you can visit Santee Lakes on Facebook or go to http://www.santeelakes.com/.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH: DECEMBER 2017 SUPER MOON
By Robert Gehr December 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – A super moon, also known as the “cold moon” was shining very bright early last evening on the 2nd of December, and I was lucky enough to get some photos before the fog obscured it from view. A super moon occurs when a full moon coincides with the closest point in the moon’s elliptical orbit around the earth. Read more about our fascinating neighbor we see nearly every night by following the links provided here: https://www.space.com/34515-supermoon-guide.html https://www.almanac.com/content-full-moon-december https://www.almanac.com/content-full-moon-names If you missed it, don’t worry, there will be many more in the years to come.
A FIDDLING AND CLOGGING CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT PARKWAY PLAZA
East County News Service December 3, 2017 (El Cajon) — Clap and dance with Celia Lawler, back by popular demand. The fiddling and clogging singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will be performing holiday concerts at Parkway Plaza shopping mall in El Cajon on two Saturdays, December 16 and 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Macy’s Court. For more information, visit www.shoppingparkwayplaza.com.
SAN DIEGO SOCKERS’ BALANCED ATTACK SETS THE SUN ON SONORA IN 8-5 WIN
Chris Toth makes 15 saves and records third win of the season; eight different Sockers score goals as team moves to 6-0 on the season Source: San Diego Sockers Photo courtesy sdsockers.com December 3, 2017 (San Diego) – The 14-time champion San Diego Sockers used a balanced scoring attack and solid goalkeeping to defeat their playoff nemesis Sonora 8-5 before 2,233 at Valley View Casino Center. San Diego (6-0) remains undefeated early and has a three-game lead in the Pacific Division. Sonora stared the game with an early goal by Erick Rosas at 1:59. However, less than a minute later Eddie Velez tallied his first goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Hiram Ruiz scored off a pass from Erick Tovar to put San Diego up for good at the 5:31 mark of the first. The Sockers extended their lead to three on goals from Brian Farber and Matt Clare to end the period at 4-1. In the second period, Sonora cut the lead in half on a goal by Franck Tayou. Both teams added two goals each in the third period. The Sockers struck for their goals in the middle of the quarter. Kraig Chiles raised his point streak to six games with a power-play goal, and Brandon Escoto found the back of the net off a helper from Ze Roberto. Chiles leads the team with 13 goals and 18 points. Chris Toth made 15 saves during the game and several big saves in the fourth to maintain the Sockers lead. The Soles made the crowd uneasy when they scored 1:54 into the final period, but San Diego responded only 17 seconds later when Tovar notched his first goal of the game. Cesar Cerda added an empty-net goal to ice the game. The Sockers will play the Turlock Express at Valley View Casino Center on Sunday, December 17 at 5:05 p.m. THREE STARS OF THE GAME: 1. Toth, 15 saves 2. Tovar 1 goal, 1 assist 3. Clare 1 goal, 1 assist NEXT THREE MATCHES: Dec. 17 vs Turlock I Dec. 22 @ Ontario I Jan. 5 @ Turlock STREAK: Won 6 FORM: WWWWWW PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS: 1. San Diego 6-0 2. Ontario 3-3 3. Tacoma 2-3 4. Turlock 1-4
SDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: MCDANIELS GETS DOUBLE DOUBLE AS AZTECS CHOP BRAVES 75-52
Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type “Sports” on the donation line! Check out our sports section for more sports stories! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story and photos by Liz Alper December 2, 2017 (San Diego) – Following a big win at Jenny Craig Pavilion against USD on Thursday night, SDSU men’s basketball finally returned home for a Sunday matinee against the 7-1 Bradley Braves as part of the annual Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge. In case you were wondering, Bradley is a private university in Peoria, Illinois with 5,400 students. This is the first time the Aztecs have seen the Braves since 1967. After a nice opening pass from freshman Matt Mitchell to senior Malik Pope for the tip-in, the Aztecs had an easy ride against a 7-1 team that wasn’t playing like a 7-1 team. In fact, the Braves didn’t score their first two points until four minutes in when junior guard Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye laid it in. Their last point for seven minutes was a free throw by senior guard Jojo McGlaston. Junior forward Luuk Van Bree broke the draught with two straight buckets that got the Braves into double digits, but the Aztecs still led by more than 20. And as usual for the Aztecs, the freshmen shone. Today it was the redshirter Jalen McDaniels, who notched seven points within the first nine minutes of the first half. Junior Jeremy Hemsley had just as many. Bradley stepped it up a little bit, but the Aztecs slammed on the gas towards the end of the half and went to the locker room up 37-23. Things were back to normal in the second half; Bradley went back to missing 99% of their shots and the Aztecs were able to take advantage of their constant fouling. Three Aztecs reached double digits in points; Hemsley, Pope and McDaniels. And they did it all without senior Trey Kell. McDaniels earned himself a double double with a career-high 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Aztecs took this one by a landslide, 75-52. “I’m happy with our performance tonight,” head coach Brian Dutcher said after the game. “…I thought our kids competed at a really high level today. They came out, worked hard on the glass…we shot a pretty good percentage, our defense was great…we defended well, we rebounded well and that usually leads to a good outcome.” The Aztecs stay home and will host Cal on Saturday. Tipoff is at 2:00 p.m. Box Postgame notes Postgame quotes