How do people in California deal with the high taxes? (car registration, condo)

[michcoop99]

We moved from the North East and we pay less taxes in California. California really isn't that expensive. We are in Northern California, so maybe that is the difference, but our house was cheaper here and the property taxes are A LOT lower. I know plenty of people in upstate NY (hours from NYC) who pay 10k+ on property taxes - and they go up every year! If you compare NY to Tennessee, then there is probably a huge difference. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

Affording something is different from finding justification to spend your money on it.. you have your justification :

This has nothing to do w/ affordability... just like my decision to move doesn't have anything to do w/ affordability... I have enough to buy a shack in cash here.. I'm just not dumb enough to do so.



Correction.. you do these things to forget about the high cost of your staying here.

Where i will be going has better/warmer beaches ... and spots.. spots are just spots.. I wouldn't use them to ignore blaring problems though.

Why do you care about my reasoning, and why are you taking this so personally? I love the Bay Area, so I decided to move back after college despite the high COL - period. I'm not sure what else you want me to say! And we all do things we enjoy to escape the "daily grind," whether we live in CA or ID. So again, why does it matter to you? My grandmother always used to say "wherever you go, there you are," and I try to remember those words - basically that your problems will follow you, so we might as well pick a spot we like & make it work.

P.S. I didn't go into much detail about my financial situation, and think you're assuming a bit too much... I do okay, and the benefits outweigh the costs in my case.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

I am just not stupid enough to spend here.. that's where one would make a big mistake...

I don't follow, why would it be a mistake to spend money in California? There is a sales tax, but many states have sales taxes. There are numerous areas throughout California where you can buy a gigantic home for $500k, you don't need to leave the state to find cheap real estate.

I have no idea why you think the entire state of California is like Silicon Valley...its just weird.

[yeahthatguy]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Why do you care about my reasoning, and why are you taking this so personally? I love the Bay Area, so I decided to move back after college despite the high COL - period. I'm not sure what else you want me to say! And we all do things we enjoy to escape the "daily grind," whether we live in CA or ID. So again, why does it matter to you? My grandmother always used to say "wherever you go, there you are," and I try to remember those words - basically that your problems will follow you, so we might as well pick a spot we like & make it work.

P.S. I didn't go into much detail about my financial situation, and think you're assuming a bit too much... I do okay, and the benefits outweigh the costs in my case.

I simply quoted your reason to draw it out your statement :

Originally Posted by gizmo980

"This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but I guess you can either afford it or you can't... and if you're on the fence, you can decide to make sacrifices or relocate. Sucks, but what else can we do? Make the state lower taxes and COL? Not likely!"

Originally Posted by gizmo980

I can barely afford it myself

I dont recall I made a single assumption .. if anything, you did by assuming people leave because they can't afford it... As for your 'situation' .. I didn't say anything about it.. you did..

CHeers

[yeahthatguy]

Originally Posted by user_id

I don't follow, why would it be a mistake to spend money in California? There is a sales tax, but many states have sales taxes. There are numerous areas throughout California where you can buy a gigantic home for $500k, you don't need to leave the state to find cheap real estate.

I have no idea why you think the entire state of California is like Silicon Valley...its just weird.

Why would it make sense when I can more efficiently spend it elsewhere... ? Are you double speaking ?

Originally Posted by user_id

Originally Posted by user_id
3.) Live below your means, invest and shelter income from taxes and watch your net-worth grow...

There is sales tax.. many states have lower sales tax.. so on big purchases where the tax difference is thousands.. why spend the money in California.

Yeah California has numerous places where a reasonable middle class home is located is in BFE ... If I want to live in BFE hours away from my job and anything of interest, why would I do that in of the most expensive states in America?.. In other places, they have affordable middle class homes near jobs ... near things to do .. near a decent downtown... The tech jobs (which is the kind of job I have) are in the valley.. the affordable homes are in BFE .. the desirable ones are $500k for a shack (as I linked to) ..

Somewhere else..
Newer, liveable, nicer (3/2.5) are near your job and lots of fun things ...
And listen I have covered this before ..
Medtronic Diabetes laying off more than 400 at Northridge site - ContraCostaTimes.com

Medtronic Diabetes laying off more than 400 at Northridge site
And in May 2009, it announced that San Antonio would be home to its new Diabetes Therapy Management and Education Center. At the time the company said it would staff the center with 1,400 workers over a five-year period.

"They are going to save 30 to 40 percent on all cost factors versus Los Angeles," he said. "And (workers) can live very comfortably very near the facility."

Don't listen to me.. go see what businesses are doing...

[jeffredo]

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

Yeah California has numerous places where a reasonable middle class home is located is in BFE ... If I want to live in BFE hours away from my job and anything of interest, why would I do that in of the most expensive states in America?.. In other places, they have affordable middle class homes near jobs ... near things to do .. near a decent downtown... The tech jobs (which is the kind of job I have) are in the valley.. the affordable homes are in BFE .. the desirable ones are $500k for a shack (as I linked to) ..

Well, that is pretty subjective (which is understandable if you work in the South Bay). Still, there is life east of Gilroy or Concord. Many there have local jobs, nice homes and plenty of recreational opportunities with the foothill lakes and rivers, plus the nearby mountain towns of the Mother Lode and being much closer to the Sierra Nat'l Parks than we are. Sacramento is every bit as viable a metropolitan area as Denver and has similarly priced housing for instance. I may live in The City, but I try to be objective when the subject of affordable real estate and property taxes are concern in California as a whole. Yes, the Bay Area is still pretty damned expensive, but to use it as a blanket example for the entire state is a little myopic.

[yeahthatguy]

Originally Posted by jeffredo

Well, that is pretty subjective (which is understandable if you work in the South Bay). Still, there is life east of Gilroy or Concord. Many there have local jobs, nice homes and plenty of recreational opportunities with the foothill lakes and rivers, plus the nearby mountain towns of the Mother Lode and being much closer to the Sierra Nat'l Parks than we are. Sacramento is every bit as viable a metropolitan area as Denver and has similarly priced housing for instance. I may live in The City, but I try to be objective when the subject of affordable real estate and property taxes are concern in California as a whole. Yes, the Bay Area is still pretty damned expensive, but to use it as a blanket example for the entire state is a little myopic.

It's not myopic.. People here rant about how there are soo many amazing jobs in California.. yeah there are and they are generally concentrated in expensive areas... To suggest otherwise would be a lie.. Other than that, I think i clearly recall that the subject was 'How do people in California deal with the high taxes?' .. which have nothing to do w/ where you located in CA.. Taxes are taxes and CA's high taxes apply so long as you live within the borders of California.. CA's mentally handicap govt. is CA's mentally handicap govt. and they will impact you as well as the voters who support them no matter where you're locate in the state... Medtronics didn't decide to locate itself in BFE CA .. It decided to relocate in Texas .. Not for one reason (providing their workers with access to a middle class life) .. but for many reasons..... In a nice area where it could save 30-40% in a " business-friendly, low-cost reputation" state.

And so we are clear, generally most things east of the coast are BFE .. The general development is a mess in that all the great jobs are super concentrated..
East of Concord/Gilroy .. let me know how many tech jobs are out there.....

You start talking about locations like that and basically the offerings are no different than what almost every state can provide.. at which point, why high tax California...?

That's the big picture I am highlighting.. To suggest this all centers on home prices would be myopic. It's bigger than that .. Its obvious to business people :
http://www.contracostatimes.com/cali...nclick_check=1

and its obvious to anyone who looks at the matter w/o tinted shades.. That's what matters going forward .. the long term trend is clear.. and I feel many are being smart by front running it. Those who deny it are delusional just as Americans were when their jobs began going overseas.. Only to look now and be like "wow man.. impressive"..

[user_id]

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

Why would it make sense when I can more efficiently spend it elsewhere... ? Are you double speaking?

So the issue is sales tax? I'm not sure how spending in California is "inefficient"....

Originally Posted by yeahthatguy

In other places, they have affordable middle class homes near jobs ... near things to do .. near a decent downtown... The tech jobs (which is the kind of job I have) are in the valley..

There are affordable middle-class homes near jobs, near things to do, etc in California as well. The Silicon Valley isn't one of those areas. Also, in terms of tech there is no other area of the country that matches the Silicon Valley.

I'm not sure what your point is with the example....business come and go all the time for various reasons. Northridge is definitely not the place you want to have a space heavy business.

[yeahthatguy]

I've provided enough on this thread.. *Peace and chicken grease

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by user_id

So the issue is sales tax? I'm not sure how spending in California is "inefficient"....



There are affordable middle-class homes near jobs, near things to do, etc in California as well. The Silicon Valley isn't one of those areas. Also, in terms of tech there is no other area of the country that matches the Silicon Valley.

I'm not sure what your point is with the example....business come and go all the time for various reasons. Northridge is definitely not the place you want to have a space heavy business.

Wow you among many others who think like you do and vote the way that you do is the reason California is sinking fast! You points stinks like always...