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At the end of the day state govt need money and they’ll get you one way or another. Yes California is on the high end but you do get a lot of perks that you won’t get in the lower taxed states which is why even in spite of those taxes you mention there is a high population there. I do agree with you that as retired person it may be better to move but be careful because with a lower tax state there comes a lot of other issues you didn’t experience in Cali. There is no such thing as the perfect place, you will have to do trade offs on some things you like having now. Everyone is different which is good otherwise we would all be in same location.
You're right, BeachSportsFan, I do pay very high taxes in California, but I do get some incredible perks for those taxes!
In case some reading have forgotten, I am not wholly unsympathetic to the plight of immigrants. Remember, both my family and Mrs. Eldiablojoe's family are minority (that means we are not white) immigrant families.
I help support nearly 2.6 million illegals, providing them with everything from schooling for their illegal (DACA) and legally-born children, English lessons, medical care, food assistance, housing assistance, and cash assistance.
Do you know how much less traffic and how much rents and housing costs would fall if the illegals were not present? Econ 101: Supply and Demand curves. Have you ever driven through Los Angeles and realized almost 40% of people you see are probably illegal (since they have yet to integrate into society in any productive manner)? Heck, even in much of Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, and Anaheim there are entire schools where the percentage of non-English speakers reaches way way up into the double-digits. I would not be surprised at 50%.
I also get to help ALL of these families give their children free breakfasts and lunches in the schools they do not pay for either, plus milk and summer foods for when they are not being fed in the soup line at school.
I also get to help over 100,000 homeless people, some of whom came here for all these great free benefits from other states, and many others of whom their lifestyle was determined by a history of poor choices (dropping out of school, using drugs, smoking, etc.)
I also get to help provide all these people with all their utility bills (and they are not big on energy conservation, by the way). Since many don't conserve, my wonderful state even provides a service of coming out and weatherizing their living quarters, all for free. Well, not free, I help pay for that too, as well as dozens of other wonderful benefit programs.
Plus there are all the non-tangibles, the extra insurance I get to pay so my insurance company can eat the losses caused by uninsured drivers and the uninsured treating hospital emergency rooms like their personal doctors. Oh, and the extra mortgage insurance I pay to help prop up others who care nothing for their credit ratings and just up and bail when things get tough instead of seeking additional work, cutting back expenses, and sacrificing extras.
My favorite benefit? Realizing on a regular basis that my peers and I are in the minority of people in that we actually wake up to an alarm clock and drag ourselves away from our families and activities for half-of nearly every day so others do not have to. We are generous spirits that way, I guess. We are so fortunate that we get so many opportunities to help out others!
Yeah, I sure get a lot for my taxes, I'm a lucky lucky guy.
Last edited by ElDiabloJoe; 03-03-2018 at 11:55 AM..
and $.66/gallon in gas tax, and $175 dollar annual registration for a 12 year old Tacoma pickup? 10% sales tax in L.A. County? An 8 to 10.5% state income tax (That's on top of what you pay the Feds), That in line with Utah also? California also charges storage tax fees on goods (Since storing them equals using them), tax on prescription medication, tax on online sales, fees (high ones!) to use local and regional parks, fees to dispose of tires, fees for districts like BART, taxes on nearly everything except grocery food products and purchases to resell (if you own a store).
Besides, that 1% property tax that's pretty much in line with your Utah is fading here. Already there are portions added to that base 1% to supplement abatement and other districts. Now Governor Brown is starting to talk about ending Prop 13 (tax rate freezes at purchase minus minor COLA adjustments) for commercial property. That slippery slope does not end until Prop 13 is gone.
Still sound like Utah?
Utah taxes FOOD.
Annual registration for old cars are the same. Fees up the wazoo too.
It's not that different.
Oh - and home prices are skyrocketing because of demand - Californians wanting to move in. Maybe we'll sell ours to one.
You're right, BeachSportsFan, I do pay very high taxes in California, but I do get some incredible perks for those taxes!
In case some reading have forgotten, I am not wholly unsympathetic to the plight of immigrants. Remember, both my family and Mrs. Eldiablojoe's family are minority (that means we are not white) immigrant families.
I help support nearly 2.6 million illegals, providing them with everything from schooling for their illegal (DACA) and legally-born children, English lessons, medical care, food assistance, housing assistance, and cash assistance.
Do you know how much less traffic and how much rents and housing costs would fall if the illegals were not present? Econ 101: Supply and Demand curves. Have you ever driven through Los Angeles and realized almost 40% of people you see are probably illegal (since they have yet to integrate into society in any productive manner)? Heck, even in much of Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, and Anaheim there are entire schools where the percentage of non-English speakers reaches way way up into the double-digits. I would not be surprised at 50%.
I also get to help ALL of these families give their children free breakfasts and lunches in the schools they do not pay for either, plus milk and summer foods for when they are not being fed in the soup line at school.
I also get to help over 100,000 homeless people, some of whom came here for all these great free benefits from other states, and many others of whom their lifestyle was determined by a history of poor choices (dropping out of school, using drugs, smoking, etc.)
I also get to help provide all these people with all their utility bills (and they are not big on energy conservation, by the way). Since many don't conserve, my wonderful state even provides a service of coming out and weatherizing their living quarters, all for free. Well, not free, I help pay for that too, as well as dozens of other wonderful benefit programs.
Plus there are all the non-tangibles, the extra insurance I get to pay so my insurance company can eat the losses caused by uninsured drivers and the uninsured treating hospital emergency rooms like their personal doctors. Oh, and the extra mortgage insurance I pay to help prop up others who care nothing for their credit ratings and just up and bail when things get tough instead of seeking additional work, cutting back expenses, and sacrificing extras.
My favorite benefit? Realizing on a regular basis that my peers and I are in the minority of people in that we actually wake up to an alarm clock and drag ourselves away from our families and activities for half-of nearly every day so others do not have to. We are generous spirits that way, I guess. We are so fortunate that we get so many opportunities to help out others!
Yeah, I sure get a lot for my taxes, I'm a lucky lucky guy.
^^^^^
Spot on! Thank you for having the guts to tell it like it is.
Pittsburgh PA. I'm pretty conservative (from the South) and my friends that live there are liberal and we get along great.
Heard many good things about Pittsburgh but probably too cold for my taste. Bodes well for the city if what you say is the norm, we need more places like that in our country
Yeah, but then you'd have to live in Loudon, TN. The Nashville 'burbs, where I'd consider living if I had to live in TN, have far higher property tax rates than that and there is no state property tax relief law so they can go up at any time.
Nothing wrong with living in Loudon...see for yourself. click on the video
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