Appliance Repair in Riverbank, CA

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration’s (CDTFA) is selling commercial properties seized in connection with illegal cannabis operations to recover unpaid taxes.

CDTFA will auction off a property in Whittier that was seized as a result of an investigation into illegal cannabis sales. Operators of illegal cannabis operations at the site owe more than $850,000 in taxes. The sale will mark the second time this month that CDTFA has used seized properties to reclaim tax revenues lost to illegal cannabis sales.

On March 2, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, CDTFA sold a property seized in Compton for $256,000. CDTFA hopes to recover at least $220,000 from the sale of the Whittier property.

“Unlicensed cannabis operators not only undercut legitimate businesses, but they also cheat California communities out of revenue for vital programs,” said CDTFA Director Nick Maduros. “These businesses are not licensed under the laws approved by California voters, and many of their products are unregulated.”

The seized properties were used in conjunction with unlicensed cannabis operations that sold a variety of illegal, unregistered cannabis products. Unsuspecting consumers may have purchased unregulated products that fail to meet the strict safety standards required for cannabis products in California. These unlicensed operations failed to report and pay taxes to the state and have an unfair business advantage over legal operators who are compliant with state tax laws.

CDTFA casts a wide enforcement net to identify illegal businesses and ensure that licensed businesses are properly registered and collecting and remitting appropriate taxes. The Department collaborates with the California Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, city and county licensing authorities, and other government agencies. Since 2020, CDTFA has performed more than 1,000 inspections and observations of cannabis businesses and seized more than $32 million in cash and products.

To report suspected tax fraud activity, call toll free 1-888-334-3300 or file an anonymous online complaint form with the investigations bureau at www.cdtfa.ca.gov.

In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. On Jan. 1, 2018, two new cannabis taxes went into effect: a cultivation tax on all harvested cannabis that enters the commercial market and a 15 percent cannabis excise tax upon purchasers of cannabis and cannabis products. In addition, retail sales of cannabis and cannabis products are subject to state and local sales tax. Sales tax applies to sales of cannabis, cannabis products, and other merchandise such as pipes, rolling papers, and shirts. Certain retail sales of medicinal cannabis are exempt from sales and use taxes when the purchaser holds a valid Medical Marijuana Identification Card issued by the California Department of Public Health. To learn more, visit the Tax Guide for Cannabis Businesses on the CDTFA website.

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) administers California’s sales and use, fuel, tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis taxes, as well as a variety of other taxes and fees that fund specific state programs. CDTFA-administered programs account for more than $73 billion annually, which in turn supports essential local services such as transportation, public safety and health, libraries, schools, social services, and natural resource management programs through the distribution of tax dollars going directly to local communities.

Residential power customers will automatically receive the California Climate Credit this month created by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to fight climate change.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) officials said the utility will administer the credit in a timely manner that will help reduce customer energy bills this month.

For natural gas residential customers, the credit will be $47.83, and for electric residential customers, the credit will be $39.30. Customers who receive both services will receive a total credit of $87.13.

“This credit is great news for PG&E customers and will reduce energy bills and provide more opportunities to invest in energy-efficiency and money-saving upgrades,” said Vincent Davis, PG&E’s Vice President of Customer Operations and Enablement.

California requires power plants, natural gas providers and other large industries that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution permits from auctions managed by the California Air Resources Board. The California Climate Credit is customers’ share of the payments from the state’s program.

Customers do not need to do anything to receive the credit; it will automatically appear as an adjustment on a customer’s bill under the Adjustments Section on the Detailed Charges page.

PG&E offers various programs to help customers save money and energy.

· California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program saves 20 percent or more each month on energy bills for income-qualified customers.

· Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program offers a monthly discount on electric bills for income-qualified customers with three or more people in the household.

· Medical Baseline provides a lower monthly rate for customers with special energy needs due to certain medical conditions.

· Budget Billing averages out energy costs for more predictable monthly payments and eliminates big spikes in bills due to seasonal changes.

· Bill Forecast Alerts are notifications sent by email, text or phone notifying the customer if their monthly bill is expected to exceed a specific amount set by the customer.

Residential customers receive the Climate Credit twice a year, in April and October. In 2022, small business customers will receive a bill credit in October.

To learn more about the Climate Credit, visit the CPUC’s California Climate Credit page.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert with tips on filing and preparing taxes safely and preventing tax-related identity theft. As Tax Day approaches, many Californians may seek out assistance with filing their state and federal tax returns. To avoid falling victim to a tax-related scam, Attorney General Bonta advises Californians to file early, beware of common scams, and take actions to protect their identity.

“As working families face an increased cost of living, many are anxiously waiting for their tax refund to put some money back in their pockets,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With Tax Day just around the corner, we want to make sure that these hardworking Californians don’t fall victim to tax-related fraud or scams. I encourage Californians to review our website for tools, tips, and resources to make filing taxes easier and safer at oag.ca.gov/consumers. And if you believe you are the victim of a tax-related scam, report it at oag.ca.gov/report.”

Beware of Tax-Related Identity Scams:

Tax-related scams are common around tax season. As Tax Day approaches, be wary of scammers claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). Scammers will often use harassment and high-pressure tactics, threatening consumers with arrest, deportation, or the loss of a driver’s license if they do not receive payment, often by money wire or prepaid debit cards. Some scammers may even know information such as your Social Security number or fake the caller ID to make it appear as though the call is coming from the IRS, FTB, police, or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Scammers may send out phishing emails that look like they are from the IRS and FTB to trick you into believing you owe money or are due for a refund. These emails often include links to official-looking websites and ask for your money or personal information so that they can steal your identity.

Identity thieves use stolen personal information to file false tax returns under someone else’s name to steal tax return refunds. Scammers usually file early in the tax season and consumers may not learn that about the theft until they try to file their taxes.

How to Protect Yourself from Tax Scams:

· File early — You are less vulnerable to scammers if you file early and have your refund in hand. Avoid putting yourself at risk of being the next victim and file your taxes as early as possible.

· Hang up the phone! — IRS and FTB will only call a person who owes taxes if they have tried to contact you by mail. Legitimate IRS and FTB agents will not threaten jail time or seek payment over the phone or through a wire transfer. Consumers should not make any payments and should contact the agency directly by looking up government contact information online. Calls impersonating the IRS should be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Those impersonating the FTB should be reported.

· Do NOT open the email — Never open an email or text message that says it is from the IRS or the FTB. The IRS and FTB do not use email, text message, or social media to request personal or financial information or to send notice regarding audits or refunds. Replying to the email, opening attachments, or clicking on links may enable scammers to collect your personal information or infect your computer with viruses or other malware.

· Use a strong password — When preparing your tax return for electronic filing, be sure to use a unique strong password for your online filing accounts. A strong password is eight or more characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols. Use a unique password for each of your tax filing accounts.

· Think beyond the password — For greater security, get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) for your e-filing account with the IRS. A new PIN is provided each year by the IRS.

· Use two-step authentication — Check on the availability of two-step authentication to protect your tax filing accounts (and other online accounts containing sensitive information, such as your email and social media accounts). Two-step authentication adds a second factor, such as a one-time use code that is sent to you by email, phone, or text. You enter that code, along with your username and password, to get access to your account.

Tax Preparation Resources:

You may qualify for free help. Many consumers turn to third-party tax preparation services for help filing their tax returns. Attorney General Bonta encourages consumers to find out if they qualify for free tax help.

· IRS Free File — The IRS Free File program is available to those whose adjusted gross income was $73,000 or less. If you fall into this category, you may find one or more Free File Online options for you through this program. To see if you qualify for this program, visit: https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

· FTB CalFile — The FTB’s CalFile program allows qualified individuals to quickly e-file their state tax return directly to the FTB, free of charge. To see if you qualify, visit: https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

· VITA/TCE — The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program provides free tax help to people who make $54,000 or less annually, persons with disabilities, and people who do not understand English well. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly those over 60, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues.

· Need more time to prepare? You can also use IRS Free File to electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension, regardless of your income. You will then have until October 15 to file a return. More information on how to request an extension can be found on the IRS website.

· Find a reputable tax preparer. Make sure your tax preparer is reputable and qualified to provide tax services. In California, only an attorney, certified public accountant (CPA), IRS-enrolled agent, or registered-tax preparer can prepare tax returns for a fee. To confirm whether a tax preparer is registered with the IRS, visit: https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf

If you believe you have been the victim of a tax-related scam or other misconduct, you can file a complaint with the state Attorney General’s office at oag.ca.gov/report or with the IRS.

To learn about how to protect yourself and your loved ones against fraud, visit the website at oag.ca.gov/consumers.

The mask mandate for all California schools grades K-12 for the 2021-22 school year has been terminated. When school resumed this past Monday, March 14, masks were optional for all students and staff within the Riverbank Unified School District.

RUSD Superintendent Christine Facella sent out a notice to parents last week regarding the new guidelines by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that began on their return to school this past Monday.

“The most significant change is that masking is no longer mandatory yet highly recommended for everyone,” stated Facella. “There was also a softening on the social distancing in terms of the amount of space. Our students will continue to take lunches outside as they have been unless there is poor weather, in which case students will eat inside and will be distanced to the extent possible.”

In the letter to the parents, Facella noted that although people have differing opinions on the issue everyone should respect each other’s rights to either wear a mask or not wear one.

She noted, “Throughout the last two years, our district has been successful in employing the mitigation strategies and working together for the safety of everyone and for that we should be proud.”

The masks on campus are strongly recommended while indoors by the district and more importantly for those with underlying health conditions.

Students have been permitted to resume field trips that are directly related to course curriculum, state standards, and programs. The district recommends that the students take masks on the field trips in case they go to a place that requires one.

“With yesterday being the first day that both staff and students had the choice to wear a mask or not, RHS looked like it was about 50/50,” remarked Riverbank High School Principal, Greg Diaz about the first day that masks were not mandatory on campus. “Some students and staff continued to wear them; others had them off, but there wasn’t any noticeable difference in the way people were acting around campus. It was business as usual; we just saw a few more smiling faces.”

RUSD will continue all other protocols for COVID and advises parents to keep their students home if they have any COVID symptoms as well as to notify the school of attendance.

Meanwhile, in a note for parents, distributed on social media, as well as other means, Crossroads Elementary School Principal Kathryn Pound advised them of the change that was to become effective on Monday, March 14.

It says “Masks will no longer be required to be worn indoors by both students and school staff, and individuals will have the choice to decide if they wear a mask or not.”

With the change in policy, Pound said she “wants to make sure to express the importance of respect.” She noted that some will continue to wear masks while others choose to go without.

“Students and staff should feel secure to make whatever personal choice they choose while knowing that they will be respected by all in our school community.”

She added that, "”here at Crossroads, we pride ourselves for upholding ‘Cougar Pride’ and show three main school pillars: Be Safe, Be a Learner, and Be a Leader.”

For more information or full details regarding the CDPH update visit cdph.ca.gov.

With the cost to treat patients projected to rise by 6.5 percent in 2022 and the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to be a big public health threat, the personal-finance website WalletHub on April 4 released its report on 2022’s Healthiest and Unhealthiest Cities in America, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.

To identify the places where health is a priority, WalletHub compared more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities across 43 key metrics. The data set ranges from the cost of a medical visit to fruit and vegetable consumption to COVID-19 cases. To view the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/healthiest-cities/31072

Healthiest Cities, those making the top 10, were: San Francisco, CA, first; followed by Seattle, WA, second; San Diego, CA; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; Honolulu, HI: Austin, TX; Denver, CO; South Burlington, VT; and in 10th place was Washington, DC.

Rated as the Unhealthiest Cities, in the bottom 10 of the study, were, at number 173, Montgomery, AL; followed by Columbus, GA, 174; Augusta, GA; Shreveport, LA; Charleston, WV; Jackson, MS; Memphis, TN; Laredo, TX; Gulfport, MS; and at number 182, Brownsville, TX.

Key Stats

Fremont, California, has the lowest share of physically unhealthy adults, 8.00 percent, which is 2.5 times lower than in Huntington, West Virginia, the city with the highest at 19.60 percent.

Laredo, Texas, has the lowest cost per doctor’s visit, $56.00, which is 3.9 times less expensive than in Juneau, Alaska, the city with the highest at $219.00.

Burlington, Vermont, and South Burlington, Vermont, have the lowest share of adults eating fruit less than once daily, 30.40 percent, which is 1.7 times lower than in Gulfport, Mississippi, the city with the highest at 51.80 percent.

Glendale, Arizona, and Lewiston, Maine, have the lowest average monthly cost for a fitness-club membership, $15.00, which is 7.2 times less expensive than in New York, the city with the highest at $108.26.

Expert Commentary

What are the most important factors to consider in choosing a city that is good for your health?

“For those with specific medical conditions, it is important to consider whether you can easily access the medical care you need. For more general health concerns, one of the most important things to look for is whether the city allows getting outside and exercising. Are there green spaces, parks, and/or safe streets with sidewalks? Also, health is as much about mental and emotional well-being as it is about physical well-being, so it is also important to reflect on whether this is a city where you can feel at home. Is it close to friends and family who enhance your life? Is it the kind of place where you can readily incorporate your passions and preferences (or hobbies) into your daily life?”

Amy L. McGuire, JD, Ph.D. – Professor; Director, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine

What tips do you have for a person looking to embrace a more healthy lifestyle while on a budget?

“We have all heard it – exercise, nutrition, stress management, preventative health, and dental care. Becoming healthier can seem overwhelming but you really do not need much money to make changes towards a healthier lifestyle. For example, you do not need fancy equipment to stay active. You can walk or roll, dance, stretch, or do resistance training (using everyday objects) in your own home or in the community…In order to help address everyday stresses, you can practice relaxation techniques or mindfulness as well as exercise. For those with internet access, several free programs support physical, mental, and emotional health as well as healthy eating on a budget. Preventative dental care is also important to overall health so do not forget to brush and floss. You can also make small changes at work. If you have a desk job, make sure you take breaks and move around…And reach out to someone you can rely on to be your healthy lifestyle buddy.”

Stephanie Hanson, Ph.D., ABPP (Rp) – Executive Associate Dean, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida

Since health and wealth are both long-term investments, what are some effective strategies for convincing people to invest more in their health today?

“Developing healthy habits – at an early age – are the best investment we can make in our own health. Healthy habits and behaviors benefit our health over a lifetime and improve health and quality of life starting at any age. My favorite example is the extraordinary health benefit of regular physical activity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity – in the short term – improves sleep, reduces stress and anxiety, and lowers blood pressure. Over time, regular physical activity improves heart and brain health, strengthens bones, prevents many types of cancer, and helps us keep a healthy weight. Regular physical activity, such as walking, is one of the best investments we can make in our health. Current science-based guidelines include this advice for everyone.”

Jan K. Carney, MD, MPH – Associate Dean; Professor; Director, Graduate Public Health Programs, University of Vermont