California has long been known as the land of opportunity, but for too many residents, opportunity is receding. Inequality continues to rise even though California has one of the most progressive tax structures in the nation. Something more is needed.

Senate Bill 8 — the Upward Mobility Act — is one piece of legislation that has reared its ugly head and poses a real threat to small-business owners in California.

Fun facts about where your money, and everyone else’s, is going. 

Clients borrow money from banks for a variety of reasons, one of which is to increase the tax efficiency of a particular transaction. And with increased federal and state tax rates, tax efficiency is an appealing concept to almost everyone.

Relocating for a job is a tough decision. You’ll need to leave behind your friends, your professional network and the local dry cleaner who never judges your red wine stains. If you have a spouse and/or children, you’ll throw their lives into upheaval as well. So what would it take to pull you away from the Capital Region?

Tucked away in the Sierra foothills, just north of Nevada City, is the Ananda World Brotherhood Colony. And while many spiritual communities like Ananda often fail after a few years, this one has managed to last for nearly 50 — partly because the advent of online commerce has made it easier for people in rural areas to support themselves.

The narrative of Andrew Susac’s 2014 season did more than just further his promising baseball career. The Roseville native’s sudden ascent in late July from minor leaguer to eventual World Series champion opened up a breadth of new financial opportunities, too.

California’s business climate is well-known for being unfriendly. CEO Magazine has rated California as the worst state in which to do business for more than eight years running.  Undoing Proposition 13’s provisions, as is currently being proposed, will make a big problem even worse by increasing taxes on the very businesses that create jobs and contribute to our economy.  

Whether or not a sale makes sense, the economic recovery that has fueled the growth of many businesses suggests that it’s a good time for business owners to re-examine the value of their business and to revisit — or put in place — a succession plan which may or may not include the prospect of a sale.  

Here’s a recipe to breathe new life into a lifeless block of R Street: Start with a 5-story warehouse made of solid concrete, suitable for loft conversion. Add subsidized rents. Then attract artists, writers and other creative types, plus their spouses, lovers, kids and hangers-on. Sprinkle in baby strollers, coffee shops, galleries, some painful-looking piercings and plenty of ink on skin.