Stated simply, the price of housing is dependent on the number of houses available and the number of people who would like to purchase a home. When the number of vacant houses exceeds the number of potential buyers, the cost of housing is relatively inexpensive. When the number of potential buyers exceeds the number of houses for sale, the price is steep. That, in a nutshell, is the dynamic called “supply and demand.” Levittowns As a rule, when the population of an area is ex

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune James Taubert Park, a new neighborhood recreation site, at the corner of Olive Avenue and Knox Street, is currently under construction. Construction is officially underway on James Taubert Park, a new neighborhood recreation site at the corner of Olive Avenue and Knox Street. The project will bring an approximately $2.3 million investment to the surrounding neighborhood, according to City officials. The park is being developed on land that b

It seems the buzzword captivating Americans these days is “affordability.” Yet everywhere you go, prices still seem to be increasing here in California. We’re all seeking relief from the high costs of living, with no end in sight. This trend is already being compounded by a hidden cost driver known as the “tort tax,” which this year totals $2,567 for each Californian. This number represents the hidden tax and the extra burden every Californian pays per year to compensate for

Executive Summary Since approximately 2010, California has experienced measurable outflows of both business headquarters and high-value capital. Independent research indicates that hundreds of corporate headquarters have relocated out of the state, while billions of dollars in personal income and wealth have moved with departing residents.  This report summarizes those trends using publicly available research, IRS migration data, and documented corporate relocations. Section

Congratulations go out to Chuck Wieland for his recent letter conveying his thoughts on the state of the economy in the good old USA. There are a few things that I do agree with him on. One is the fact that the extension of the 2017 tax cuts do help the rich, however he did fail to mention that the tax cuts helped a huge majority of the taxpayers and they definitely helped the middle class. Perhaps the ones it didn’t help are the nearly 40 percent of the people who pay little

As too many Americans wonder how they can pay their monthly bills AND buy Christmas presents, let’s peek at economic affordability. It was a DAY ONE important issue in last year’s election. The president has put coal in our stockings. He cut taxes for the rich at the expense of the middle class and the poor and imposed tariffs that raised prices for American consumers. He grades himself on the economy as A+++++. But now, as most Americans disagree with him, he calls affordabi

So, it seems the U.S. Treasury has finally done it. They have decided to stop making the penny. I am curious to know what this transition will do for those of us who like to pay cash for things. Will we get the correct change back? Will they round up or will they round down? Who will get the benefit of the rounding, the customer or the store? These are all important questions.  The news about the penny made me think about how valuable a penny can be. I remember a time, early

With the possibility of a growing operating deficit, Madera County Supervisors still found much to celebrate before addressing the pressing deficit issue by taking further steps to reduce the operational cost gap. Proclamations were given recognizing the retirement of two fire captains after decades of service, along with the crucial ambulatory services provided by the Pistoresi family for nearly a decade, and a week was dedicated to the clerks of the county board of supervis