Affordability: Prices We Can Afford–A Roundup of Local, State, and National Stories
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White House Gives Update on Average Tax Refund for Americans
March 10: Newsweek by Andrew Stanton and Gabe Whisnant
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, citing new IRS and Treasury Department data, said the average federal tax refund this filing season is more than $3,700, higher than during the same period last year. She said nearly 63.5 million tax returns have been processed so far, representing about 45 percent of the total expected by the April 15 deadline.
Leavitt attributed the increase to recently enacted tax cuts backed by President Donald Trump, saying millions of Americans are beginning to see their effects. She said more than 27.5 million filers have claimed at least one of the president’s new tax provisions, including exemptions for tips, overtime pay, car loan interest and enhanced deductions for seniors.
Citing Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department data, Leavitt said:
- Over 3.5 million returns claimed no tax on tips.
- More than 15.5 million returns claimed no tax on overtime pay.
- Over 9.2 million returns claimed an enhanced deduction for seniors.
- About 690,000 returns claimed no tax on car loan interest.
- Nearly 3.5 million “Trump accounts” have been opened for children.
Oil Prices Rise as Iran Strikes Multiple Tankers in Defiance of Trump
March 12: Western Journal by Jack Davis
Iran is escalating its war on the world by attacking multiple oil tankers, sending oil prices skyrocketing. Iran’s actions came despite a Truth Social warning from President Donald Trump that, “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil, within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit harder by the United States of America twenty times harder than they have been hit so far.
In the early hours of Thursday, three oil tankers were set ablaze, according to CNBC, following three ships attacked on Wednesday. Attacks on shipping have led Iraq to close its ports that normally export oil.
Industrial Production Beat Expectations in February as Capital Spending Boom Continues
March 17: Breitbart by John Carney
U.S. industrial production expanded in February, the fourth straight month of increases, beating economist forecasts as manufacturing and mining output both grew for the second consecutive month, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.
The headline number understates the strength of the underlying report. Business equipment output rose for the fourth straight month, extending a capex boom that has lifted the index 6.4 percent above its year-earlier level — the strongest year-over-year gain of any major market group in the report.
Separate data released Monday showed capital spending expectations among New York manufacturers are at their highest level in more than three years.
The capital investment surge is showing up in productivity as well. Manufacturing productivity rose 2.8 percent in the third quarter of 2025 and 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier — the strongest back-to-back readings since before the 2008 financial crisis, setting aside the post-recession rebound years when productivity figures are typically distorted by compositional changes in the workforce. As recently as early 2023, manufacturing productivity was running nearly two percent below year-earlier levels.
Manufacturing output rose 0.2 percent in February, with motor vehicles posting the largest gain among durable goods categories. Nondurable manufacturing also rose 0.2 percent, driven by chemicals, plastics, rubber, and paper products. Mining output increased 0.8 percent, following a 0.9 percent gain in January.
Trump Suspends 100-Year-Old Law in Bid to Lower Oil Prices
March 18: The Western Journal by Nick Givas
President Donald Trump is issuing a temporary waiver of the Jones Act for two months in an effort to lower oil prices amid America’s ongoing conflict with Iran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the move on Wednesday. “President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” she wrote on the social media site X. Leavitt added, “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains.”
The Jones Act forces America to only use U.S.-built and operated ships for transporting goods between American ports to support domestic shipping. It is seen as a protectionist measure and has increased shipping costs for the United States.
Waivers for the Jones Act can be granted in times of war, emergency, or natural disaster to ease the supply chain. “Congress has also authorized waivers of the Jones Act in the interest of national defense,” according to the Library of Congress. “The domestic shipping restrictions were waived during World War I. They were waived again in preparation for World War II. In 1950, after the Korean War began, Congress enacted a provision allowing the executive branch to issue waivers ‘in the interest of national defense.’” This executive authority is still in effect and has been broadly used in recent years.
In 1991 and 2011, waivers were granted in the interest of national defense to speed up oil shipments from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in response to the Persian Gulf War and a conflict in Libya, respectively.
Mike Hernandez is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net and MountainTopMedia.com. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “Prayer Over News Daily” and edits the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists with trainings held every other month (on Saturdays at Shasta Bible College and online) and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com.