Taped telephone conversations among Enron traders reveal open discussions about manipulating the California power market, taking generating units offline to raise prices and even stealing from grandmothers.A utility outside of Seattle obtained the audiotapes from the Justice Department, which is investigating Enron’s part in the electricity market crisis that brought blackouts and skyrocketing prices to California in 2000-2001. The Snohomish County Public Utility District is suing Enron, saying it was overcharged during the crisis and should receive refunds.

In what state will you find the largest families? Utah? That’s right, 19 Utah counties make the list of the top 50 nationwide in the average number of exemptions claimed per federal tax return, according to a new Syracuse University report.The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the Syracuse study, which is based on 2002 returns, showed Utah having more counties in the top 50 than any other state.

Interest rates on federally guaranteed student loans will drop to historic lows again this summer, potentially saving both new and current education loan borrowers thousands of dollars in interest over the life of their loans. These record-low rates will help families and students finance college this fall. "College financing has never been more affordable," said Tom Joyce, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Sallie Mae.

The results of the survey of women business owners conducted by National City Corporation (NYSE: NCC) were announced today. Women entrepreneurs have a 50 percent or greater stake in nearly half (48 percent) of all privately-held businesses in the United States and they generate approximately $2.3 trillion in sales and employ 19.1 million people nationwide, according to the Center for Women's Business Research.

In a speech before the Mutual Fund Regulation and Compliance Conference entitled, "Mutual Funds in the Coming Century ... While We're At It, Let's Build A Better World," John Bogle called on the mutual fund industry to heed the Investment Company Act of 1940, which requires that mutual funds be managed in the interest of the fund shareholders, and not in the interest of their managers. Mr.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed to extend the Middle-Class Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act through 2005 by a bipartisan vote of 333-89. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is supposed to target the most prosperous of Americans to ensure they pay taxes. Instead, the AMT too often hits middle-income American families because tax rates have not been adjusted for inflation since 1993. This bill expands the standard deductions for the AMT to $40,250 for individuals and $58,000 for married couples.

If the House has its way, married couples will no longer be penalized because their combined earnings push them into a higher tax bracket.The House on Wednesday voted 323-95 to make President Bush’s tax cut permanent, reducing the so-called "marriage penalty," the New York Times reported. The plan now goes to the Senate, which is apparently more divided about how to pay for future tax cuts.The marriage-penalty provision was a popular tax cut, but it was scheduled to expire at the end of this year.

All the talk against foreign outsourcing this political season has not translated into action by U.S. executives, who plan to send 50 percent more work to India next year.According to a study by Ernst & Young, while opposition to outsourcing has intensified in the presidential campaign and among union groups, the flow of work to India has remained constant, the Financial Times of London reported. "The sentiment is very strong.

The National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, announced that the Internal Revenue Service has awarded $7.5 million in matching grants to Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs). This amount will fund 135 clinics in 2004.