California is gonna

[Star]

Compared to most states California was rolling along pretty well, then-----then in 1978 California:
A) blew a hole in their revenue stream by putting a cap on property taxes while simultaneously,
B) instituting minority rule in both houses of their legislature.


California has been slip, sliding and struggling ever since.

The claim that the people of California aren't taxed enough is too absurd for words. California is one of the most heavily taxed states in the union. The problem with California is liberal Democrats who never saw a spending program they didn't like.

Are you saying CA Dems have a ⅔ majority in both the state Assembly and the state Senate?



To rank the state’s tax burdens,the Tax Foundation compared the total taxes that state residents pay as a percentage of per capita income. Included in the total taxes are local taxes such as property taxes and local sales taxes.

States With The Lowest Taxes



The states whose residents pay the least in taxes are:

• Alaska at 6.4% of income
• Nevada at 6.6% of income
• Wyoming at 7% of income
• Florida at 7.4% of income
• New Hampshire at 7.6% of income

States With The Highest Taxes

• New Jersey at 11.8% of income
• New York at 11.7% of income
• Connecticut at 11.1% of income
• Maryland at 10.8% of income
• Hawaii at 10.6% of income

Average taxes for the entire US in 2009 was 9.8%, CA ranks #6 at 10.6%

 

[MeBelle]

JB's just pissed because sales tax expired in 2010.

California taxpayers to get a little extra when tax hike expires | news10.net


Lots of support for a ciggy tax...not!

Tough sell for tobacco taxes in California - Elections - The Sacramento Bee

'Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, bemoaned the expectation that Brown will propose another round of cuts to education, health and welfare programs to deal with the state's growing deficit.'

In other words, "It's for the Children',"...let them die".
Sound familiar?

Why not salary cuts for ALL legislators and staff, a mere 10%.
Dissolve Calpers...there ARE real solutions out there...

/rant...for now.

 

[Big Black Dog]

The only thing wrong with California is that it's full of Californians.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Well, the tax has to be voted on.

My mailbox has been full of lit from Philip Morris, telling me to vote against the tax.

 

[ShackledNation]

That's the mindset of the left. If you can make people hate certain groups, then it's okay to run roughshod over their rights with no complaints.

That's the mindset of the current state of American democracy. Both parties are taking part in it just the same.

 

[MeBelle]

Are you saying CA Dems have a ⅔ majority in both the state Assembly and the state Senate?

Pretty dang close. Which has absolutely nothing to do with voting for higher taxes.
California Democratic Party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And I am sick of revenue issues being blamed on Prop 13.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_13_(1978)

Cali needs to learn to spend within its means.

 

[Artevelde]

tax cigarettes another $1.00 per pack.. supposedly to get smokers to stop smoking.. and then they want ya to amoke some pot. California is nutzoid.

Frankly I think that raising taxes on tobacco is a very good thing.

 

[ShackledNation]

Compared to most states California was rolling along pretty well, then-----then in 1978 California:
A) blew a hole in their revenue stream by putting a cap on property taxes while simultaneously,
B) instituting minority rule in both houses of their legislature.


California has been slip, sliding and struggling ever since.

The claim that the people of California aren't taxed enough is too absurd for words. California is one of the most heavily taxed states in the union. The problem with California is liberal Democrats who never saw a spending program they didn't like.

Are you saying CA Dems have a ⅔ majority in both the state Assembly and the state Senate?



To rank the state’s tax burdens,the Tax Foundation compared the total taxes that state residents pay as a percentage of per capita income. Included in the total taxes are local taxes such as property taxes and local sales taxes.

States With The Lowest Taxes



The states whose residents pay the least in taxes are:

• Alaska at 6.4% of income
• Nevada at 6.6% of income
• Wyoming at 7% of income
• Florida at 7.4% of income
• New Hampshire at 7.6% of income

States With The Highest Taxes

• New Jersey at 11.8% of income
• New York at 11.7% of income
• Connecticut at 11.1% of income
• Maryland at 10.8% of income
• Hawaii at 10.6% of income

Average taxes for the entire US in 2009 was 9.8%, CA ranks #6 at 10.6%

I would say that being the 6th highest tax state would count as one of the highest taxed states. The same Tax Foundation also did a study for the business tax climates of the 50 states for this year.

California ranked 3rd WORST.

The Tax Foundation - 2012 State Business Tax Climate Index

 

[auditor0007]

They don't want people to quit. I think it would be unconstitutional to unfairly tax something in an attempt to make people stop using it. I don't think penalty taxes should be allowed. They need money and they know this will bring in some quick cash. Since smokers have been sufficiently turned into villians, no one will stand up for their rights. That's the mindset of the left. If you can make people hate certain groups, then it's okay to run roughshod over their rights with no complaints.

As an ex-smoker, I really do hate cigarette taxes. For the most part, it is a tax on the poor. That being said, it is a proven fact that the more expensive they are the less people smoke. The biggest benefit or raising the price is not so much in getting people who already smoke to quit but in preventing young people from starting. When a pack costs more than a minimum wage worker makes in an hour, they are highly unlikely to start smoking in the first place. In the long run, that reduces the number of people who smoke.

 

[auditor0007]

If the state would kick out the 10 million illegal parasites, they could CUT taxes and go back to being the richest state in america like they were 30 years ago.

Illegals = bankruptcy

Kick them out or tax them for the services they use. The ladder seems to make the most sense. In order to tax them, you have to get them out into the regular economy and out of the underground economy.

 

[MeBelle]

Well, the tax has to be voted on.

My mailbox has been full of lit from Philip Morris, telling me to vote against the tax.

I recieved fourteen cuckoo slate mailers today. Two are from 'Californians Against out of control taxes and spending', with major funding by Phillip Morris AND a coalition of taxpayers, small business, law enforcement and labor
The other twelve were not paid for by PM.
All of them were against Prop 29.

I am curious as to why LEOs are against Prop 29 though.
Any thoughts?

 

[MeBelle]

If the state would kick out the 10 million illegal parasites, they could CUT taxes and go back to being the richest state in america like they were 30 years ago.

Illegals = bankruptcy

Kick them out or tax them for the services they use. The ladder seems to make the most sense. In order to tax them, you have to get them out into the regular economy and out of the underground economy.

The latter doesn't work when Cali has sanctuary cities.
The illegals that hold jobs file income tax (state and fed) and end up with refunds.
The RL stories I could tell...

The state cannot tax medicaid, Sec 8 or food stamps; which illegals apply for 'in the name of the children'.

 

[MeBelle]

They don't want people to quit. I think it would be unconstitutional to unfairly tax something in an attempt to make people stop using it. I don't think penalty taxes should be allowed. They need money and they know this will bring in some quick cash. Since smokers have been sufficiently turned into villians, no one will stand up for their rights. That's the mindset of the left. If you can make people hate certain groups, then it's okay to run roughshod over their rights with no complaints.

As an ex-smoker, I really do hate cigarette taxes. For the most part, it is a tax on the poor. That being said, it is a proven fact that the more expensive they are the less people smoke. The biggest benefit or raising the price is not so much in getting people who already smoke to quit but in preventing young people from starting. When a pack costs more than a minimum wage worker makes in an hour, they are highly unlikely to start smoking in the first place. In the long run, that reduces the number of people who smoke.

Parents are responsible for teaching their children.
Nanny state laws/taxes have proved to be ineffective.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

The problem with the cigarette taxes is they were touted as necessary for the raise in health care costs that cancer created. But the funds never made it to health care causes. It's just an excuse for the politicians to burden one group of people to get money for their public union backers.

 

[Dr Grump]

They don't want people to quit. I think it would be unconstitutional to unfairly tax something in an attempt to make people stop using it. I don't think penalty taxes should be allowed. They need money and they know this will bring in some quick cash. Since smokers have been sufficiently turned into villians, no one will stand up for their rights. That's the mindset of the left. If you can make people hate certain groups, then it's okay to run roughshod over their rights with no complaints.

As an ex-smoker, I really do hate cigarette taxes. For the most part, it is a tax on the poor. That being said, it is a proven fact that the more expensive they are the less people smoke. The biggest benefit or raising the price is not so much in getting people who already smoke to quit but in preventing young people from starting. When a pack costs more than a minimum wage worker makes in an hour, they are highly unlikely to start smoking in the first place. In the long run, that reduces the number of people who smoke.

Parents are responsible for teaching their children.
Nanny state laws/taxes have proved to be ineffective.

Totally untrue....every time ciggies go up down here, the number of people who smoke decreases...
Fuck it, up the tax by $6...not $1...

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Wow, the funding behind the for and against campaigns are hilarious!

Prop 29: Imposes additional tax on cigarettes for cancer research. | MapLight - Money and Politics

Top spenders FOR raising CA cigarette tax:

1 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY $7,402,488
2 LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION $1,500,000
3 AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION $546,256
4 MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG $500,000
5 AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION $412,086

Top spenders AGAINST raising cigarette tax:

1 PHILIP MORRIS (ALTRIA) $24,029,416
2 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $9,574,755
3 U.S. SMOKELESS TOBACCO (ALTRIA) $2,639,018
4 AMERICAN SNUFF COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $1,500,000
5 CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY $1,140,909

 

[ShackledNation]

I disagree with social engineering taxes meant to change behavior. If smokers want to kill themselves, let them. They don't need to be babied, and I guarantee the vast majority of people who smoke now understand the risks involved.

 

[MeBelle]

As an ex-smoker, I really do hate cigarette taxes. For the most part, it is a tax on the poor. That being said, it is a proven fact that the more expensive they are the less people smoke. The biggest benefit or raising the price is not so much in getting people who already smoke to quit but in preventing young people from starting. When a pack costs more than a minimum wage worker makes in an hour, they are highly unlikely to start smoking in the first place. In the long run, that reduces the number of people who smoke.

Parents are responsible for teaching their children.
Nanny state laws/taxes have proved to be ineffective.

Totally untrue....every time ciggies go up down here, the number of people who smoke decreases...
Fuck it, up the tax by $6...not $1...

Untrue? Perhaps down under...Cali is not down under.
Most of the problem is that 'tax' revenue doesn't arrive at it's promoted destination.
Remember the lottery in Cali that was supposed to 'save education/schools/children'?
It went to unfunded pension liabilities...ie 'saving education'.

 

[MeBelle]

Wow, the funding behind the for and against campaigns are hilarious!

Prop 29: Imposes additional tax on cigarettes for cancer research. | MapLight - Money and Politics

Top spenders FOR raising CA cigarette tax:

1 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY $7,402,488
2 LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION $1,500,000
3 AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION $546,256
4 MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG $500,000
5 AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION $412,086

Top spenders AGAINST raising cigarette tax:

1 PHILIP MORRIS (ALTRIA) $24,029,416
2 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $9,574,755
3 U.S. SMOKELESS TOBACCO (ALTRIA) $2,639,018
4 AMERICAN SNUFF COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $1,500,000
5 CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY $1,140,909

Opposition has raised $40M while support has raised $11M.
http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/ind...bacco_Tax_for_Cancer_Research_Act_(June_)2012

As I had previously asked you "What are YOUR thoughts?
Bloomberg needs to kick in more $$

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Wow, the funding behind the for and against campaigns are hilarious!

Prop 29: Imposes additional tax on cigarettes for cancer research. | MapLight - Money and Politics

Top spenders FOR raising CA cigarette tax:

1 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY $7,402,488
2 LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION $1,500,000
3 AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION $546,256
4 MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG $500,000
5 AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION $412,086

Top spenders AGAINST raising cigarette tax:

1 PHILIP MORRIS (ALTRIA) $24,029,416
2 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $9,574,755
3 U.S. SMOKELESS TOBACCO (ALTRIA) $2,639,018
4 AMERICAN SNUFF COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $1,500,000
5 CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY $1,140,909

And your point? Nobody is saying cigarette smoking is good for you. But why legislate morality? And if you do, shouldn't the people that are paying the taxes be the benificiaries? That money won't be going into a public health fund. It'll be going towards the pension of do nothing fat cats.

We've seen this movie a thousand times. We know how it goes.