Taxing decisions Going gluten-free isn’t cheap on the Peninsula

It’s expensive living on the Peninsula. That’s old news. But, every now and then, there’s another shocking example of that ongoing and challenging condition.

Let me tell you a true story about a goldplated, gluten-free cupcake. The tale begins on Christmas Eve. Things seemed to be going swimmingly.

The family was in town. The weather was terrific. But we needed a gluten-free cupcake for a celebration. One family member had a gluten problem.

I was told to purchase the single item. There is a cupcake shop nearby. I headed for the establishment (which will not be named for reasons that will become clear).

Finding a parking spot was no bargain but I managed. The cupcake emporium was not unusually busy. I inquired about a gluten-free option.

No problem. The polite lady behind the counter had a batch. How much for one? She replied without batting an eye, “$3.50.”

“Excuse me,” I blurted. “I don’t think I heard that correctly. How much?”

“Three dollars and fifty cents,” said the clerk again. I was stunned. She displayed the cupcake. It was relatively small, brown and included an indentation (intended for icing, perhaps) that resembled some sort of odd navel.

With tax, the cupcake wound up costing $3.75. The clerk asked if I wanted the pricey morsel in a box. Sure. Why not. It was included in the stunning price. So I had that going for me.

I reluctantly extracted four crisp dollar bills from my ancient wallet, allowing a trapped moth or two to exit first, and handed them over. I got a quarter in change. The tip jar beckoned. I popped the quarter in the tip jar.

In the end, one glutenfree cupcake cost $4. That included the navel-like indentation. I hope it was worth it.

Colonoscopy alert

With increasing speed, mega-health care providers/insurers are finding ways to combine their considerable services.

One of the recent moves, intended, in part, to expand options at the pharmacy giant involves a pending merger of the CVS drugstore chain and Aetna, the big insurance firm.

Which means, sometime fairly soon, while shopping for shampoo, Beano and Dr. Pepper, we may hear this announcement blaring from a CVS public address system: “Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith. Please find your colonoscopy behind aisle 3. Use your coupon.”

Can’t wait. Where’s the (un)dressing room?

Not long ago, this modest corner suggested that, if the new GOP federal income tax plan wound up hurting some of those of us living in an ultrahigh-tax state like California, maybe our legislators ought to examine ways to ease that burden right here at home.

That’s precisely what appears to be happening. Several lawmakers are looking at such mechanisms. It’s not clear if any of those solutions (accounting gimmicks?) would include actual tax reductions here.

That’s probably hoping for too much in the upcoming new year. Have a great, gluten-free and productive 2018, by the way.