Thousand Oaks Transit Provides Low Cost Transportation in the Conejo Valley

Thousand Oaks Transit (TOT) offers five local bus routes serving the Conejo Valley. One way fares as of May 2023 are $2.00 per ride; 65+ seniors/disabled are $.50 and children 5 and under are free. Transfers from one bus to another are free and must be requested when you purchase your fare.

(NOTE: As of September 2022, all students in grades 1-12 as well as college students ride for free anywhere in Ventura County, with student ID.)

Buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi, security cameras and bike racks. Operating hours are Monday to Friday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

TOT buses are equipped with destination signs on the front, side and rear of the bus. Here are the current bus routes:

• Route 40 Newbury Park - Stops include Newbury Park High School, Borchard Park, Dos Vientos Community Center, The Oaks. 25 total stops.

• Route 41 Midtown A - Stops include The Oaks, Los Robles Hospital, Cal Lutheran, Thousand Oaks High School, Teen and Senior Centers/T.O. Library, Transportation Center. 18 total stops.

• Route 42 Midtown B - Stops include The Oaks, Conejo Valley High School, Thousand Oaks High School, Cal Lutheran, Los Robles Hospital, Conejo Valley Plaza, Janss Marketplace. 22 total stops.

• Route 43 TOB Express - Stops include The Oaks, Transportation Center, City Hall, Westlake High School. 25 total stops.

• Route 44 Crosstown - Stops include Westlake High School, The Oaks, Amgen. 35 total stops.

Exact fares are required on TOT buses in the form of cash, pass or transfer. Passes can be purchased on buses. Multi-day bus passes are available. Where's the bus? You can track them at www.nextbus.com.

Perhaps the most useful feature is the trip planner at www.toaks.org/departments/public-works/transit/plan-your-trip where you can type your location and destination and you’ll receive a step by step itinerary showing where to catch the bus and how long it takes to get to your destination.

The Thousand Oaks Transportation Center located at 265 South Rancho Road (just south of the 101) is a transportation hub for eastern Ventura County.  The Center provides parking for transit users and rideshare participants and connects riders with the four routes described above as well as the following:

• Several VCTC Intercity bus lines

• Metro Line 161, which takes riders east with stops in Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Woodland Hills and Warner Center.

• LADOT Commuter Express 422 and 423 bus lines operating Monday to Friday as far as Downtown Los Angeles.

To learn more, visit www.TOTransit.org or call 805.375.5473. There are bus schedules online, as well as at the Civic Arts Plaza (Public Works Counter on the 1st floor), Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park Libraries, Senior Center, Oaks Mall 2nd Floor Information Desk and at the Transportation Center.

California Minimum Wages Increased to $15.50 Per Hour on January 1, 2023

Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum wage for all California hourly employees is $15.50 per hour, up from $15 per hour for employers of 26 or more and $14 per hour for employers of 25 or less in 2022.

The federal minimum wage for 2023 is still $7.25, a rate unchanged since it became effective on July 24, 2009.

California minimum wage rates apply to Ventura County residents.

The City of Los Angeles minimum wage rate has been $16.04 per hour since July 1, 2022. Each year, the minimum wage is adjusted for inflation; the adjusted rate is announced on February 1st of each year and becomes effective on July 1st of each year. The city’s 2023 minimum wage rate increases to $16.78 effective July 1, 2023. See wagesla.lacity.org.

The County of Los Angeles minimum wage rate became $15.96 per hour effective July 1, 2022 and increases to $16.90 per hour starting July 1, 2023. See dcba.lacounty.gov/minimum-wage-for-businesses.

Why the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles can’t align their rates to be the same is beyond me.

Looking for a higher minimum wage? Move to San Francisco, where the rate has been $16.99 per hour since July 1, 2022 and will be adjusted for inflation again on July 1, 2023 to $18.07 per hour. See sf.gov/information/understanding-minimum-wage-ordinance.

Or better yet, the City of Emeryville, CA minimum wage effective July 1, 2022 became $17.68 and increases to $18.67 on July 1, 2023. See www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/1024/Minimum-Wage-Ordinance.

The highest city minimum wage rate in the country in 2023 is $18.69 per hour for employers in Seattle, Washington. www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/ordinances/minimum-wage

Looking for states with minimum wages set at the federal rate of $7.25/hour? That would be Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

California’s minimum wage rate in 2022 was the third highest in the country. Washington D.C. is at $16.50 per hour, increasing to $17 per hour on July 1, 2023. The state of Washington is at $15.74 per hour for workers 16 and older. Massachusetts is currently at $15 per hour effective January 1, 2023. www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-minimum-wage

988 Is the Three Digit Dialing Code for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

988 Is the new three-digit dialing code that connects directly to the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Lifeline is now called the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a United States-wide suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline using the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

The Lifeline has received over 23 million calls from 2005 through 2021 from people in distress, looking for support when they needed it most.

Learn more at 988lifeline.org.

IRS Extends 2022 Tax Return Filing Deadline to October 16, 2023 in Most California Counties

Last week, the IRS extended the 2022 tax filing deadline for taxpayers in most California counties (including our local LA/Ventura/Santa Barbara/Orange counties) to October 16, 2023. The deadline was previously extended from April 18th to May 15th due to the January storms.

In addition to individual and business tax returns, this extension applies to funding IRAs and to making estimated tax payments for Q422 to Q323 (if applicable).

The state of California has conformed to extension of filings and payments to October 16th. See www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/news-releases/2023-03-ftb-california-winter-storm-tax-relief-extension.html for details.

IRS Announces 2022 Tax Filing Deadline for California Storm Victims Extended to May 15, 2023

The IRS issued the press release below this morning, Tuesday, January 10, 2023, indicating that individual tax returns and payments for those living in counties designated by FEMA as disaster areas will be extended to May 15, 2023. We anticipate the California Franchise Tax Board will follow suit, but no word from the FTB at this time. (California has an automatic 6-month extension to file returns, but taxes still are required to be paid by the original tax filing date.) UPDATE: California has conformed to the extended tax filing dates.

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Victims of severe winter storms, flooding, and mudslides in California beginning January 8, 2023, now have until May 15, 2023, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business in Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba counties qualify for tax relief. Other areas added later to the disaster area will also qualify for the same relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov.

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on January 8, 2023. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 15, 2023, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This includes 2022 individual income tax returns due on April 18, as well as various 2022 business returns normally due on March 15 and April 18. Among other things, this means that eligible taxpayers will have until May 15 to make 2022 contributions to their IRAs and health savings accounts.

In addition, farmers who choose to forgo making estimated tax payments and normally file their returns by March 1 will now have until May 15, 2023, to file their 2022 return and pay any tax due. The May 15, 2023, deadline also applies to the quarterly estimated tax payments, normally due on January 17, 2023, and April 18, 2023. This means that individual taxpayers can skip making the fourth quarter estimated tax payment, normally due January 17, 2023, and instead include it with the 2022 return they file, on or before May 15.

The May 15 deadline also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on January 31 and April 30, 2023. In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after January 8, 2023, and before January 23, 2023, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by January 23, 2023.

The IRS disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2023 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2022, normally filed this tax season). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 3691-EM − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547 for details.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these storms and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov

www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-tax-relief-for-victims-of-severe-winter-storms-flooding-and-mudslides-in-california

My Experience Renewing my Driver’s License and Getting a REAL ID Card

In 2020 I received a driver’s license renewal notice from the California DMV. I received the renewal notice four months prior to the expiration date. The notice indicated that my last two renewals had been by mail and that the upcoming renewal required me to renew at a DMV office.

I wondered why they were requiring me to go into a DMV office to renew the license this time. According to the DMV, in order to renew by mail, you must provide your Social Security number and be under 70 years old when your current license expires, and answer “no” to all of the following questions:

1. Have your last two licenses been renewed by mail?

2. Has your license been expired for over one year?

3. Does your license expire more than 60 days from today?

4. Are you currently on any type of driving probation?

5. Are you changing or correcting your name?

6. Do you have a driver’s license from more than one state or jurisdiction?

7. Within the past two years, were you convicted of any vehicle code moving violations, did you fail to appear in court for any vehicle code moving violation, were you suspended for DUI or refuse or fail to complete an alcohol screening test or have you been at fault in one or more collisions?

OK, no problem, it is what it is.

The renewal notice first required me to complete an application online at www.dmv.ca.gov.

To complete the application, you must create an Online Service account on the DMV website. They require a two-factor authentication to prove your digital identity, which means you’ll need an email address as well as a way to receive a text message or phone call for a six-digit confirmation code. If you do not want to do this at your phone or computer, you can do it on a terminal at a DMV office.

After you create the account, you will need to confirm your name, address, Social Security number (if applicable) and the type of card you are applying for. They will also ask if you want to register to vote and if you want to be a registered organ and tissue donor; however these will not be completed until you visit a field office to complete the registration process.

So after completing the application, which was actually quite painless and quick, you will receive a confirmation code. Bring the code to the DMV office to continue the license renewal process.

The next stop is scheduling an appointment. For me, this was the broken step. There’s a link provided to make an appointment. You select an office and look for a time. I searched five different DMV offices and there were absolutely no times available. But as one might expect, the appointment system did not give any hints as to other DMV offices with available openings, nor did it show the “next available” day and time. For me, this was an exercise in futility. Truly a glitch in the system when you have to spend hours attempting to schedule an appointment online…to save time.

So instead, I drove to the Thousand Oaks DMV office at 8am on a Tuesday morning.

This was a great move. No line! No hassle!

Awaiting my turn at the Thousand Oaks DMV.

I had all the documentation with me, including the renewal form and $36 renewal fee.

But I decided to up the ante and upgrade my license to the REAL ID card. The REAL ID card is a federally-mandated card that, unless you prefer to carry your passport with you, will be required to board domestic airline flights or access some federal facilities beginning May 3, 2023 (originally October 1, 2020…it has been extended several times due to the pandemic). May 7, 2025 (extended another two years on 12/5/22).

So for example, on May 3, 2023 you have a flight from Burbank to Vegas. If all you have is your standard driver’s license, they won’t let you fly; you’ll need either the REAL ID or a U.S. passport even for a domestic flight. MORE ON REAL ID

The key is being prepared. I was prepared for REAL ID. There’s an online checklist at www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/how-do-i-get-a-real-id/real-id-checklist that includes the following:

1. Proof of identity – such as U.S. passport or passport card, certified, copy of U.S. birth certificate, etc.

2. Full name^ – if your true full name is not listed on the identity document, you will need to provide a document that shows that.

3. SSN – you need to prove your SSN by showing a Social Security card, W-2 or other items.

4. Where do you live – you will need two different documents showing your current address, such as utility bills, medical documents, mortgage bill, etc.

With all of the above in hand, plus a backup document. I showed the documentation at the front counter after waiting briefly in a line. The clerk was impressed with my organizational skills. On to the next step in the process.

^ As additional clarification, if your current name is different than your maiden name, bring documentation showing your name change(s) - e.g. marriage certificates or other original or certified documentation showing the name change.

They gave me a number. The line was extremely short on a Tuesday morning (though when I was done around 9:15 am, there was quite a few more people waiting). After about 10 minutes, my number was called.

I went to the counter and told the clerk that I was there to renew my license and to migrate to the REAL ID. She asked for all my documents. She reviewed them, taking photos of most of them as I recall. She also had me provide a thumbprint. All digital. No ink involved.

After just a few minutes’ wait, the next step was a vision test. I passed!

Next up, photo time. She sent me to the photo guy and told me to come back when done. There was no line. Just a quick “stand there behind the line” and a quick smile and I was on my way back to the counter.

The final step was my only “fumble.” The renewal fees paid at the DMV office currently cannot be paid via credit card – choices are cash, check, money order or debit cards. Doh! Luckily, I had visited the ATM recently and gave her cash. Credit cards can actually be used for internet based transactions – but not for in person and by mail transactions. At least not at this time.

That was it. Done! She printed my receipt and a temporary license, should for some reason I not receive the new license prior to the expiration date of my current license. Fingers crossed!

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THE EPILOGUE

On Monday, August 26th. I came home to a REAL ID card in the mail., which was great news. The postmark on the envelope was August 22nd. So I’m happy!

But…getting this card took more effort than I originally thought. My license expired in mid-July but I was given a temporary license to carry with me until the new card was received. I waited and called and waited. No card.

I called and told them the situation. No card. Was it sent? No. Why? I was asked what document did I bring to show my proof of identity. I told them I brought my passport. DMV indicated the Department of Homeland Security was reviewing my documents to verify they were legitimate. Well, ok.

Two weeks later, no card. I called again and told them my temporary license was expiring soon. They told me I could call the DHS/DMV Legal Presence Unit to find out what the holdup was. This was getting a bit time consuming. Where the hell is my card?

But I called the number, and each call ended with “We are currently experiencing higher than average call volume. Please try your call later.” Higher than average, eh? Does that mean when call volume is lower than average they answer the phone immediately?

So, the day before my temporary license was to expire (and about a month after my actual license had expired), I had the pleasure of visiting the Thousand Oaks DMV again.

When I told the clerk my situation - that my REAL ID never came in the mail and my temporary license was about to expire, of course she sent me to a line to apply for a new driver’s license.

I was unsure of why I would have to do that. Do I start the whole process again? I was completely unprepared for that.

So I went back and stood in the line again, and this time, another woman understood the situation and issued me a new temporary license on the spot. She also told me the REAL ID would be mailed to me soon.

Success at last!

Most of the folks I dealt with at the DMV were nice and courteous. But it was glaringly apparent that the organization needs a complete re-do. The DMV needs to hire experts to review processes in place and how they can be improved. Processes currently seem so unnecessarily complicated and confusing that frustration is bound to happen.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020. UPDATED IN 2022.