Crude oil jumped on speculation that any output increase adopted by OPEC would be too small to meet demand.
The check is a rebate, the second of three annual $400 payments authorized by the State Legislature to line the pockets and calm the feelings of homeowners upset by an 18.5percenttaxax increase adopted at Mr. Bloomberg's request during a fiscal downturn a few years ago.
In politics, California has been a leader in decriminalizing marijuana (failed initiative in 1972 and successful legislation in 1975), adopting restrictions on tax increases, adopting "three strikes and you're out" sentencing laws, and medical marijuana (1996).
The increases, adopted by the State Legislature, took effect on July 14.
He said that past rent increases adopted by the board had "overcompensated" landlords.
Landlord representatives said the final increases adopted by the board were an improvement, but were still not enough.
Boosted by increases adopted by the French Open organizers and the French Tennis Federation in recent months, the 64 first-round losers, men and women, earned $27,816 each.
Councilman James Oddo of Staten Island, the Republican leader, complained that surpluses generated by property tax increases adopted during the budget crisis of 2002 and 2003 should be returned to taxpayers, instead of being spent on new programs.
Mrs. Whitman, who is expected to become head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, would be succeeded by a fellow Republican, Senate President Donald T. DiFrancesco, who has publicly said that were it his call, he would veto the increases adopted Thursday.
The previous Labour government, responsible for many of the tax increases adopted by the coalition, said it would aim for something closer to 67% cuts and 33% tax rises.
