I don’t know how far reaching this problem is. However, over the last 3 to 4 years I have been battleing Centurylink Phone Company for charging me KING County Sales tax and KING County 911 Services tax on my telephone bill instead of KITSAP County tax rates.

Because of this charging me for the wrong county taxes and 911 service, I am overchanged on the tax rate PLUS Kitsap County is not getting the sales tax revenue source nor the 911 service revenue funds so badly needed. read more »

Does the arrogance of the Bainbridge Island City Council know no bounds? Its most recent foray into nanny statism over plastic bags is proof that these elitists sincerely believe they have been anointed with a superior form of intelligence, and therefore know what is best for the obviously uneducated masses better than we do.

They cite no scientific evidence that people don’t recycle, and/or reuse plastic bags — because there isn’t any. We do it every day. read more »

One of the reasons I have been proud to be a Washington resident is that for the most part, especially Kitsap County, we have an honest elections system. That is in contrast to King County’s reputation. I am sorely disappointed that the Democrat leadership has so little faith their ability to garner majorities that they stoop to measures that undermine the integrity of elections by introducing a bill to legalize Election Day registration in Washington state (HB 2204). read more »

The so-called “payroll tax” is money taken out of your paycheck by the government and put into the Social Security Trust Fund (SSTF) to fund your Social Security retirement income. The employees’ payroll tax rate was reduced in 2011 from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. This meant more take-home pay, but it also meant over $100 billion didn’t go into the SSTF. Congress previously passed a law requiring the 2 percent shortfall be taken from the General Fund and put into the SSTF — adding more than $100 billion to the national debt. read more »

Missing from the announcement of KPS’s abandonment of the individual market, is that before another carrier will write you, you will have to pass the litmus of screening by filling out a Standard Health Questionnaire. It doesn’t matter how many years you have been on the plan, if you amass too many points due to pre-existing conditions, you will be shunted into the expensive high-risk pool. read more »

Your tax expert is not keeping up with his profession. The article in the December Business Journal “Tax Planning” on page 27 contains erroneous information.

The requirement to report 1099-k (credit card income) has been postponed until 2012. There is no special requirement to report this on a 2011 tax return. The IRS specifically states that you should put zero on the line for reporting merchant card and third party payments. There are still a lot of issues that have to be worked out on the credit card payments. read more »

If people in this country have been paying attention, it should be no surprise that unrest is happening in our cities clear across the country costing cities thousands (if not millions) of dollars for extra police etc., that they can ill afford. This is supported by none other than President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and other Democrats. Open your eyes Americans! Obama’s inspiration was/is Saul Alinsky who wrote the books “Rules for Radicals” and “Reveille for Radicals” laying out the ground rules for “taking over.” read more »

I am endorsing & supporting Christy Cathcart for re-election to the CK School Board

She has been a vigorous and insightful school board member during her time on the Board.

She is not a “yes” person but asks the right questions and some times ruffles the feathers of her detractors and peers. read more »

I saw that the State Supreme Court stopped the City of Seattle from blocking our Attorney General, Rob McKenna’s suit against the Federal Government to protect the citizens of Washington from this ill-conceived ObamaCare plan. Hurray for McKenna!

But I think it is high time that our politicians quit hiding behind the governmental curtain and put their names front and center. I want to know names. I want to know the names of the people that signed off for the City of Seattle to bring this lawsuit in the first place. read more »