24 percent total sales tax in California

I included links to back up my post. Why won't you do the same? In any debate, it's difficult to argue a point without knowing your opponent's sources and frame of reference.

 

Thank you

 

Is that how you're going to play this? A 24% tax is slapped on a purchase which is insane, and then you somehow think no one, especially me, is allowed to talk about it because it doesn't personally impact me. Unless a sex change impacts you, then you can never talk about it or I will be there when you do.

What's nuts is such a high tax doesn't even seem to bother you, but maybe it would if I told you marginalized and underrepresented people have to pay that tax, too. I know it would drive Kamala Harris nuts if she hears about this.

 

Nah, politicians are immune to tax, they just use the login name: SkimfromU and password: chumps and enter any amount to transfer to their digital accounts..

 

Where did I say you weren’t allowed to talk about it? Oh right I didn’t. You’re making a strawman argument. Kudos.

 

Well for starters, you linked a blog and a Wikipedia page. Have you never learned that you don't use Wikipedia as a source?

But here, California is way behind the rest of the country in economic growth and income growth. It's not a blog either.
https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/stgdppi3q23.pdf

 

I guess you should expect to pay through the nose to live in paradise.

 

The great democrat experiment

 

Sixties. My degree has Ronnie's signature.

They were still under $150 a semester when Ronnie finished his two terms as governor. I think asking students to pay a little more was okay. I made $3.05/hour working as a grocery store clerk, double-time on Sunday.

Correct. Too many people. I grew up on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and it was largely open space in the early 1950s. Still, home prices went out of sight. The government utterly failed to take the profit out of homeownership. My 3-bedroom house on a city lot in Napa was valued at more than $1m in the early 2000s.

 

It is inevitable that CA's tax burden has become intolerable because Proposition 13 forces the state and all local governments in CA to give massive, increasing, and unsustainable subsidies to landowners. That is why land in CA is so expensive, and CA hosts almost all of the cities with the least affordable housing in the USA. CA committed suicide when it passed Prop 13. In the 45 years since then, CA has gone from among the best places to live in the USA to one of the worst.

 

Falling behind who? Did you even bother to read those links?

No matter. You are free to hate, if that suits you. California is doing just fine, even during an economic slump.

 

There's nothing to hate. Data doesn't have emotions.

 

It appears that you are trivializing legitimate criticism of CA government as "grumpiness." Are you suggesting that people just accept whatever the gov imposes on them?

 

You are incorrect. CA has abundant resources combined with high taxes but manages to get deeper in debt.

 

no, we have elections for that...as I said, if you don't like it here, get out.

 

Yep. This is the only reason why I lament our border policies over the years. The increases in population have a lot to do with illegal immigration. The Sierra Club tried to warn us in the 90s and got pilloried for it.

 

"If you don't like it, get out!" is not just a weak argument, it suggests that we just accept whatever government decides to impose on us. I don't have to accept it or leave. In spite of having control of abundant resources and having high taxes, CA leads the nation in poverty. Is this acceptable to you?

 

You can do whatever you want, leave or vote someone else into office. We are a democracy and you are free to stay and fight for your values or leave. Personally, most of the folks who constantly complain about California should just leave, they will be happier freezing their butts off in Idaho or roasting in humidity in Florida or Texas. As I said earlier, I hope about 10 million Californians leave poste haste.

 

Thats fine, but it ignores the real issue. The people leaving are the earners. How long can this go on until it reaches a tipping point?

 

We have 38 million folks living here, we have plenty of people making dough. I just read an article on the most expensive places in America to live on a per square foot basis. Blew my mind because our little downtown Carpinteria came in third most expensive per foot. Carpinteria! What we are losing are some retirees and young people mainly due to housing prices. Why are housing prices so high? Lots of reasons but I think it all comes down to supply and demand in the most desirable locations combined with greed up and down the chain.

 

A big chunk of the working class has been replaced with illegal aliens.

 

Maybe companies should stop hiring illegals.

 

"Plenty" is an opinion. CA is losing earners and gaining dependents. Is that sustainable?

 

Not so sure about that one but I can say that most of the trades are now dominated by immigrants, legal or illegal. Once the unions got pushed out, wages started to fall and people stopped working in them. I have buddies who are contractors and they all tell me the same thing. They hire Mexicans because they show up on time, work hard, don't complain, listen, learn and want to work. When they hire some white or black kid, the kids either don't work out or can't take the long hours and hard work. When I was young in the 70s, construction, plumbing, roadwork, etc. were good jobs paying well. Now they still pay decently but the appetite for hard work has drifted away. Its a shame because the trades are honorable vocations. If it weren't for the immigrants, I really don't think most crews could fill the demand.

 

I have no clue what you are talking about. Guy across the street moved here from Chicago, retired lawyer worth millions. He employs immigrants to take care of his yard, do side jobs, a maid, etc. Everyone is happy as can be.