News

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Another Little 405 Inconvenience for UCLA Nightbirds

Byuclafaculty

We’re too late to give you the Monday night warning but the action (inaction?) repeats tonight: Full closure of all I-405 northbound lanes (between the Montana Avenue and Moraga Drive), Sunset Boulevard (between Barrington Avenue and Veteran Avenue) and Church Lane (between Sepulveda Boulevard and Kiel Street) on the night of Monday, August 20th / morning of Tuesday, August 21st. All Sunset on/off-ramps (with the exception of the SB I-405 off-ramp) will be closed, as well. Where: I-405 and Sunset Boulevard When: NB freeway will be closed from midnight until 5am on Tuesday morning. Sunset Boulevard, Church Lane and freeway ramps will…

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It’s not quite the Subway to the Sea that is eventually supposed to arrive at UCLA…

Byuclafaculty

…But starting next week there will be an express bus from UCLA to the new Expo light rail line which currently terminates in Culver City (and is being extended to Santa Monica circa 2015).  The Expo line goes to downtown LA and links to other rail services. Details at http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/big-blue-bus-offers-1-rides-to-culver-city-expo

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Wisconsin’s Way Out of UCLA’s Taxable Hotel Dilemma: But We Really Have to Hurry!

Byuclafaculty

In an earlier post today citing an online lesson from Stanford, we pointed to UCLA’s hotel tax dilemma.  We learned about Unrelated Business Income (UBI) and Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT).  It appears that much of the proposed use of the UCLA hotel is in fact taxable and yet commercial-type business is forbidden in the UCLA case due to the way the hotel is to be financed.  Now some readers might say that our blog just harps on the negative side of the UCLA hotel proposal and never offers anything positive.  That isn’t really true since we did offer a…

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Harder to Get In at UC-San Diego?

Byuclafaculty

Excerpt from North County Times: In a move that narrows the college transfer pathway for students at Palomar, MiraCosta and other community colleges, UC San Diego is winding down an agreement that guarantees transfers to community college students who meet set requirements. The transfer admission guarantee, or “TAG” agreement, allows community college students with grade point averages of 3.5 or better to secure guaranteed admission to UCSD, as long as they meet certain deadlines and coursework requirements. However, citing increased competition among transfers and a funding shortfall, university officials said they will discontinue the agreement in 2014. Community college students can…

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Stanford Offers an Online Course on Hotel UBITOMY

Byuclafaculty

Never heard of UBITOMY?  UBI stands for Unrelated Business Income – as defined by the IRS – of normally tax-exempt entities such as universities.  But when such entities create enterprises that do business unrelated to the function of the entity, Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) is owed. UCLA’s proposed new hotel comes with a business plan chock full of ways to fill 250 rooms such as visiting parents, etc.  The plan assumes such uses are tax-free.  And the plan is built on financing that doesn’t allow commercial uses.  But if you take Stanford’s course on UBITOMY, you can learn something…

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More on the Corporate Tax/Scholarship Bill Passed in the Assembly

Byuclafaculty

We earlier posted an entry about a bill that passed in the state assembly which closed a corporate tax loophole and used the funds generated for tuition reduction and UC and CSU.  To get the needed 2/3 for a tax vote, two non-Democrats were required. One was a renegade Republican.  The other was an Independent (former Republican), Nathan Fletcher of San Diego.  Fletcher posted a YouTube video explaining his vote.  As also noted earlier, since a 2/3 vote would also be needed to pass this bill, it is unlikely to be enacted. Nonetheless, the explanation by Fletcher is of interest….

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The BID for Westwood and the Hotel Blending

Byuclafaculty

No, not the kind of bid you see at auctions.  BID stands for Business Improvement District. Under state law, businesses (property owners) in particular areas can form a BID and assess themselves for upgrading their neighborhoods. In theory, the upgrading improves the business climate and property values. There are many BIDs in the LA area. Westwood at one time had a BID but it disappeared some years ago in a financial scandal. However, a new one has formed and is reporting progress.  Still, if you walk up Westwood Boulevard towards the campus, you see many empty stores for lease. There…

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No Meds for Riverside

Byuclafaculty

UC-Riverside keeps trying to get state funding to open a med school.  But not successfully, so far: From the Press-Enterprise (excerpt):The latest Capitol attempt to secure state funding for UC Riverside’s school of medicine is all but dead after a key Senate committee blocked a bill to allocate $15 million from an expected legal settlement…Full story at:http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/jim-miller-headlines/20120816-uc-riverside-med-school-funding-bill-stalls.ece

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They may not play nice

Byuclafaculty

Competition from rival tax measures on the ballot may sink the governor’s Prop 30 which the Regents have endorsed.  In particular, there is concern about Prop 38 – the Munger tax for schools.  Excerpt today from an LA Times blog: …Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer sent a letter to the head of the California State PTA, the sponsor of Proposition 38, imploring them to stop what they call “personal attacks against Gov. Jerry Brown” that they fear could sink the governor’s tax measure, Proposition 30. Proposition 38, which has been financed by wealthy Pasadena attorney Molly Munger, seeks to…