Understanding the price of anything has become extremely confusing. Summer gas prices are on track to stay high, but is that because of the summer blend or taxes and regulations or refinery capacity or something else? Is filling up a gas-powered car cheaper than removing anti-Elon graffiti from a Tesla? The ever-changing conversations around tariffs and inflation and recession only add to the challenge. The one constant, it seems, is that it feels like everything is expensive. And based on recent news, Claritans are starting to watch their wallet more and more closely.

Making Moves
June is part of the traditional peak of home-buying season. The kids are out of school, so it's easier to move - except for the part where they get to complain and weigh in. Making this large of a purchase often hinges on how all the little adjustments to price and percentage points pencil out. As tariffs began taking effect, interest rates went up. Talk of higher construction costs also stoked concerns around building, as did uncertainty about how long any specific policies would be in effect. U.S. News & World Report used Santa Clarita as the literal posterchild of how the uncertainty has affected new construction.
There are other costs to consider, too. Realtor.com reported that the number of properties with HOA fees and the HOA fees themselves were on the rise through 2024. Utilities may be going up, too, with water prices increasing from $2.77 to $3.89 over the next five years in Santa Clarita. So in short, living is expensive - but there's always an upside. As my optimistic realtor friend reminds me, opportunities abound... it's just that sometimes you have to look a little harder for 'em.
Food Crime
Some Claritans have been pinching food and restaurant profits. The Signal reported that a woman was arrested after a family found her in their home, munching on their cereal. The brand was unspecified. She was taken to the hospital before being taken to the Sheriff's Station. While that was unusual, a series of break-ins at local restaurants was just the latest iteration of the all-too-common story. Acai Sun Fit Life, Chabelo's Mexican Grill and Baskin-Robbins were all broken into at their shared Castaic Road shopping center.
Christine Ibarra's Cakepopbox, a baking supply store, opened in Canyon Country this spring. Unfortunately, one of her most-viewed Instagram posts was security camera footage of two women taking decorations and other items. The voiceover points out that one of the thieves can be seen saying, "My dream!" to the owner as she admired the new shop. It's hard enough to run a small business already, and many people in the comments section were ready to help. Some promised a visit to the store and others gave advice on identifying and publicly shaming the cake bandits. They may have saved a little money, but at what other cost?
All Tips, No Tax
It's not easy to get things done as a Republican in California's decidedly not-Republican legislature. But State Senator Suzette Valladares' bill to make tips tax-free has successfully made it through the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, a significant step. Maybe it's because SB-17 has something for both sides of the aisle as it cuts taxes while supporting labor. Every penny counts when you're working hard. It was one idea that former Vice President Harris and President Trump could both agree on when they were campaigning last year.
In a statement, Valladares mentioned that she worked in food service in her 20s, which helped inform her view that tips should be tax free. There are limits, however. The co-authored SB-17 only allows a deduction of up to $20,000 per tax year. And there are objections. When the concept was part of the national conversation last year, some economists pointed out that losses in tax revenue and the need to verify deductions could prove challenging. While you may not heart how pervasive tipping culture has become in the SCV and beyond, knowing that the whole tip goes to workers could ease the pain the next time that pay screen swivels your way.
This column is intended as satire and a (sometimes successful) attempt at humor. Suggestions and catty comments intended for the author can be e-mailed to iheartscv@insidescv.com.