In brief: Corporate tax decrease eyed

Washington – The White House is looking for a way to lower the rate of corporate taxes without increasing the deficit, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday.

After a speech on U.S.-China relations, Geithner made it clear the Obama administration is looking to cut some sort of deal on taxes.

“As the president has said before, we are going to take a look at whether we can find political support for a reform of the corporate tax code that would lower rates by broadening the base but not lose revenue on net,” he said.

Corporate taxes may be addressed in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union on Jan. 25.

More report having asthma

Atlanta – Asthma seems to be increasing a little, and nearly one in 12 Americans now say they have the respiratory disease, federal health officials said Wednesday

About 8.2 percent of Americans had asthma in a 2009 national survey of about 40,000 individuals. That’s nearly 25 million people with asthma, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

The rate had been holding steady at a little under 8 percent for the previous four years.

Better diagnostic efforts could be part of the reason for the increase.

Asthma is a chronic disease involving attacks of impaired breathing. Symptoms may include coughing, wheezing, and chest pain. It can be fatal: Health officials estimate more than 3,000 U.S. asthma deaths occur each year.

Illinois approves large tax increase

Chicago – A triumphant Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn congratulated fellow Democrats on Wednesday after the state Senate and House sent him a major income tax increase without a single Republican vote in favor.

Quinn smiled and shook hands on the floor of the Senate around 1:30 a.m. after the Senate voted 30-29 for the bill, which would raise the personal income tax rate by 67 percent and the business income tax rate by 46 percent.

The House passed the bill Tuesday night – likewise without a vote to spare and with nary a Republican in support.

Democrats argued the tax increase was needed to rehabilitate the state’s deadbeat image, but Republicans predicted it would drive businesses out of state.

Hearst zebras escape, are killed

Cambria, Calif. – Three zebras that escaped from the Hearst Ranch in California were shot to death by neighboring ranchers who claim the exotic animals were threatening their horses and cattle.

The animals are descendants of zebras brought to the San Simeon estate of William Randolph Hearst in 1923 as part of the publisher’s private zoo. About 80 zebras currently wander the property around Hearst Castle, and three escaped last week.

William Randolph Hearst’s great-grandson, Steve Hearst, said the ranchers should have called the Hearst Ranch to report the runaway zebras.