Several new laws take effect on Tuesday, January 1, 2013. One raises the sales tax, another helps seniors and another benefits drivers with smartphones.
Shoppers are still getting their fill with those after-Christmas sales. But come January 1, the sales tax will temporarily jump another quarter-cent, bringing the statewide sales tax to 7.5 percent for four years. California voters OKed the tax hike under Proposition 30 last month to save schools from deeper budget cuts.
"I got a 17-year-old daughter and I got grandchildren that are growing up that are going to be in school," said shopper Evangelina Hernandez. "So whatever helps, we got to dig in our pockets a little bit deeper to help."
