Unclaimed Property – You may be richer than you think!
You may be richer than you think. Right now, California is holding more than $6.1 billion in unclaimed property of individuals and businesses. Some of it could be yours.
Every year, the State Controller acquires unclaimed property through California's Unclaimed Property Law, which requires corporations, financial institutions, and insurance companies to annually deliver unclaimed property to the State Controller.
The most common types of unclaimed property are savings or checking accounts, stocks, checks, and safety deposit box contents. In recent years, more than 204,621 accounts valued at nearly $200 million have been claimed by their rightful owners.
To find out if any of this money belongs to you, please visit www.sco.ca.gov and search the Unclaimed Property Database. There is no charge to retrieve unclaimed property.
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Legislature can freeze college fees and tuition…but will it?
California College Students Visit the Capitol
Last week UC Students throughout California marched on the Capitol, and I had the occasion to meet with some from UC Merced. Students are rightfully concerned with the rising cost of college and were in Sacramento making their views known.
Did you know only 40% of the Prop 30 tax revenue is actually budgeted for education? This is despite the Governor’s promise to students and taxpayers that Proposition 30 would be the savior of education. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee I have questioned the Department of Finance on this very topic. What happened to the other 60%? What is it being used for? The “iron clad” campaign promise that this money was going to go to education now appears to be less of a promise and more of a bait and switch.
This is why I am a co-author of Senate Bill 58, a measure that would freeze tuition and fees for CSU, UC and Community Colleges during the seven years Prop 30 tax increases are in effect. It is the right thing to do to help students and their families. Prop 30 was billed as being all about education. Shouldn’t the bulk of that tax money then be going to help students? This is a great bill that should be supported by all Legislators.
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Jobs – a legislative priority
It is pretty hard to ignore the high unemployment numbers in our area. Employment numbers in the coastal regions of California are improving slightly, but our communities lag far behind. As a result my focus will remain on ideas that make it easier for businesses to grow and ones that make government easier for citizens to use.
The following is a list of some of my bills:
Senate Bill 787 (SB 787) : The Sustainable Environmental Protection Act – an updating of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). SB 787 would update CEQA and help streamline the process for projects to get approved – this would put people to work much faster. It would not create exemptions to CEQA. It would simply shift environmental review procedures to a more objective standard and put the kibosh on frivolous lawsuits. (Click here for more information)
SB 607 : Flexible Work Week. SB 607 would give employers and employees the ability to adopt a flexible work schedule. For example, work fewer days a week but put in longer hours during the days worked. Get your job done and spend more time doing what you want to do. (Click here for more information)
SB 583: Would add an additional fishing license option for California anglers by creating a fishing license good for 12 consecutive months, regardless of purchase date. (Click here for more information)
SB 757 is in response to a resurgence of metal theft. SB 757 would update and strengthen the law to give law enforcement the tools it needs to put these thieves in jail.
SB 732: Car sales tax reduction. SB 732 would exempt the value of a trade-in vehicle from sales tax if it is applied towards the purchase of a new vehicle or motorcycle.
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Attention All Military Veterans: VA Mobile Medical Outreach in our area
The VA Mobile Medical Outreach Clinic Team, in collaboration with Turlock VFW Post 5059, will be in Turlock later this month.
Where:
VFW Post #5059 Hall
1405 East Linwood
Turlock, CA 95380
When:
Thursday, March 21, 2013
11:00am – 3:00pm
No appointment necessary! Veterans Service Officers, Enrollment Specialists & Medical teams on site. There is more information on my website.
For more information, contact VA Rural Outreach Coordinator, Valerie Gabriel @ 209-588-2604, or Gaylene Ramos @ 209-604-0921.
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Out and about
Great day in Calaveras County. Had lunch with CHP officers Dewayne Lewis and Bruce Kynaston at the Pickle Patch Deli (http://www.picklepatchdeli.com/) in San Andreas. Great food and good company.
Bob Rouch was presented a Certificate of Recognition by my Fresno Office Director, MaryAlice Kaloostian at the Kingsburg Rotary last month. Listen to his story on KMJ’s Hometown Hero broadcast as he vividly recalls his time as a WWII weatherman stationed at Frobisher Bay Air Base on Baffin Island. He recalls an entire month where the temperature never rose above -30 degrees Fahrenheit (Listen to Bob Rouch’s story on KMJ Radio).
Good meeting with local elected officials and Steve Qualls of the League of California Cities in my Modesto District Office.
I had the opportunity to speak at the California Grape and Tree Fruit League’s legislative meeting in February. As a grape-grower myself it is always a pleasure to talk with the League about the issues impacting our industry.
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