Jerry Brown: California's Back! Trader Joe's: Nope!

Iconic cheap wine sees price increase

Gov. Jerry Brown gave his State of the State address this morning, one which the Sacramento Bee characterized as "triumphant," due to his insistence that the state budget is balanced after years of deficits. This is ignoring that the balancing of the budget is due to fairly optimistic projections and ignores that even as we speak the state is overspending. (Point of fairness: The recent deficit spending is due to assistance provided to local governments. Sacramento actually is spending less than budgeted on state operations. But it still can't afford it.)

At the same time that the governor is saying that the state has "once again confounded our critics," Trader Joe's is increasing the price of its famous Two-Buck Chuck wine (actual name: Charles Shaw Wines) in California. The price has jumped from $1.99 to $2.49. A statement provided to ABC News by the store chain read, "In general, our retail prices change only when our costs change. In the case of Shaw in California, we've held a $1.99 retail price for 11 years.  Quite a bit has happened during those years and the move to $2.49 allows us to offer the same quality that has made the wine famous the world over."

The Charles Shaw line of wine is indeed higher priced in other states. It costs almost $4 in Ohio!

Keep in mind that Proposition 30, which was billed as a tax increase on the rich, also raised sales taxes for everybody in California by a quarter of a cent. So everybody in California will be paying more for wine, no matter the price.

Brown went on to say this about California's future budgets: "This means living within our means and not spending what we don't have. Fiscal discipline is not the enemy of our good intentions, but the basis for realizing them. It's cruel to lead people on by expanding good programs, only to cut them, cut them back when the funding disappears."

And then he reiterated his support for the $68 billion high-speed rail program, a project that currently only has enough funding for the first leg.

Comments

[Sevo]

"And then he reiterated his support for the $68 billion high-speed rail program, a project that currently only has enough funding for the first leg."

Which probably doesn't hold a candle to the retirement liabilities which he has totally ignored.
Moonbeam is a pathological liar.

[Broseph of Invention]

I paid $6.57 last night for two bottles of Sir Charles here in Minnesota. They could get more for it, considering the alternatives, but bless their hearts they don't.

[16th amendment]

Groceries are sales-tax-free in CA. Anyone know if wine bought in a grocery store is sales-tax-free? The state could require the grocery store to charge sales sales tax on some times; and this might very well be the case seeing that some grocery stores sell books, clothes, etc.

But note that many localities have added sale tax as well. In San Mateo county there was a 0.5% sales tax increase, and in the city of Half Moon Bay there was an additional 0.25%.

[Scott S.]

I'm fairly sure wine is not sales-tax free in California no matter where you buy it.

[Sevo]

"But note that many localities have added sale tax as well. In San Mateo county there was a 0.5% sales tax increase, and in the city of Half Moon Bay there was an additional 0.25%."

Whole lot of fun trying to keep track of the 'upper Klamath River special tax district' added .00175%
Anyhow, beer and wine are subject to sales tax in CA.

[VG Zaytsev]

Yes it's a blast.

http://www.boe.ca.gov/sutax/pd.....telist.pdf

http://www.boe.ca.gov/news/sp111500att.htm

[califernian]

Prop 30 passed in the last election cycle. The bleeding heart liberals of CA voted to increase sales taxon the poor by .5%, to the tune of 1B in more tax, most of which will be shouldered by the poor and middle class.

Good job progressives!

[The Late P Brooks]

And then he reiterated his support for the $68 billion high-speed rail program

You gotta keep your priorities straight.

[zacherieshavell]

Christopher. I agree that Matthew`s report is unbelievable, on wednesday I got themselves a Lotus Elise after having made $9582 this - 4 weeks past and in excess of 10 grand lass-month. this is actually the nicest work I've had. I began this eight months/ago and almost straight away started to make minimum $82 per-hr. I use details from here........ http://BIT40.com

[flye]

I'm having a hard time coming up with a good use of "I got themselves" in a sentence.

[Sevo]

And imagine that lead to a Lotus Elise!
I'd say that's a good reason to execute a 180.

[Sudden]

Usually, when I see someone driving a Lotus Elise, my first question is what do you do for a living. Nine times out of ten, they say I spam HampersandR. The tenth one is usually an investment banker. Fucking bankers.

[Sevo]

Sudden| 1.24.13 @ 8:47PM |#
"Usually, when I see someone driving a Lotus Elise, my first question is what do you do for a living"

Mine is: Are you fucking CRAZY?
I've owned all sorts of "you can't trust 'ems" and driven some of them from CA to GA, but not on your life would a Lotus be in that group.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

I started shopping at Trader Joes recently. I figured it was a douchey, hipster place (and it might be) but I see it becoming my main grocery store.

I try to eat a low carb, paleoish diet. Is there a better option than Trader Joes?

[Stormy Dragon]

If you're in the NE or Mid-Atlantic region, try Wegman's.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

One is trying to be built in my area, by tearing down an abandoned warehouse, but of course it is stalled in government bullshit. I have been inside one before though, I find the amount of choice a little overwhelming.

[Stormy Dragon]

If you do get one, be sure to get the store card, they have a great quarterly magazine with lots of recipes.

[Rhywun]

God I miss Wegman's. If there's one thing Rochester does better than NYC, it's grocery shopping.

[Old Man With Candy]

Weggies is first rate. If you're in Chicagoland (like me), Marianos and Garden Fresh. In Texas, HEB can be surprisingly good, but Central Market is the real deal. In the SF Gay area, there's Berkeley Bowl and there's everything else.

If you're on the West Coast, be adventurous and shop 99 Ranch. I'm still trying to find the Chicago equivalent of that Asian paradise.

[Sudden]

I'm pretty much the same diet. I split shopping between trader Joe's and vons. Although I do occasionally make a whole foods trip for meat and non-high fructose corn syrup condiment type products.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

I buy my beef in bulk from a small local butcher for 2.79 a pound, so I am fortunate to have the biggest expense under control.

Whole Foods has a lot of what I want/use, but the cost makes it hard to shop there every week.

[VG Zaytsev]

Is there a better option than Trader Joes?

Costco for bulk items.
Farmers markets for produce and local grocery stores for the balance. There's several in my area that cater to hispanic and arab immigrants that have good produce and unusual packaged goods at much lower prices than vons, ralphs, trader joes etc.

[waaminn]

That looks pretty dope to me dude. Wow.

http://www.Anon-ids.tk

[John Galt]

The Valley of the Beautiful Woman, Eger, Hungary rated #1 European drinking holiday vacation location has much better wine selling for around $5 USD per 5 gallon gasoline jerry can filled full when you bring your own can.

Fuck you, California, no one needs you.

[Juice]

The wine isn't half bad, especially for $3 (here). But the beer $6/six pack is pretty damned good.