Pity the California taxman. The state has a yawning funds deficit, which politicians try to slim. Native legal guidelines make it troublesome to boost taxes, requiring a two-thirds majority. Worse, once-reliable sources of funds are operating dry. Gasoline-tax revenues are forecast to fall sharply as drivers swap to electrical automobiles. Revenues from cigarette taxes have fallen by $500m, or 29%, since 2017; now these from alcohol taxes are dropping, too. It is a concern: at current, revenues from the trio of taxes quantity to just about half of what the state spends on larger training.
