The high cost of living in CA is not taxes (CA is much better than NJ/NY for example), but housing. The issue of housing is regulatory.[/quote]
Exactly.
And the reason for the high housing cost…. too many people still want to live here.[/quote]
True, but there is always a workable policy response.
In Singapore, there is a concerted effort to grow the population and the economy, and up the economic game.
However, the government builds public housing and sells it for 1/3 of people’s monthly income. It works in one of the most expensive places in the world.
[quote=ocrenter][quote=FlyerInHi]Incidentally, you’re not paying the gas tax if you drive electric. So get solar and an electric car.[/quote]
You do still have to pay a higher registration fee.
But I don’t really mind, I would rather have better roads.[/quote]
I believe the higher registration is because the electric are relatively more expensive and newer. There is a $100 surcharge on electrics effective 2020. But still a bargain compared to the gas tax.
If you’re struggling with your finances because of “high taxes” you’re shit at managing money and “high taxes” is just a lame excuse for your own incompetence.
California is fiscally responsible. Health, environmental, and transportation programs tend to pay for themselves in economic growth. They’re trying to be conservative where it counts, by reducing mass incarceration, predatory enforcement of laws, and getting rid of drug laws written in the Dark Ages.
Raise the gas tax up another $3 and then use the funds for transit and to cut the income tax.
California’s stupidist tax is the business property tax on furniture. The County wants me to tell them the current deprecated value of my business’s furniture and PCs each year so they can tax 1% of it.
Are they kidding? No. I just paid $125 based on their own estimate of $12500. Which is way too high but who cares.
It isn’t the money, it is the presumption of wasting every business owner’s time to collect a pittance.
Well, another $1.50 or $2 maybe. At $3 per gallon extra, it would probably create a profitable black market for less-taxed fuel from Nevada or Arizona.
[quote=gzz]It isn’t the money, it is the presumption of wasting every business owner’s time to collect a pittance.[/quote]
What a stupid rule, but I bet we have plenty of those in CA.
I guess my only hope at this point is to have a fiscal crisis where the interest on the national debt is out of control. Then maybe there will be a minute chance of a straight income tax without deductions and credits for businesses and individuals.
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