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Old 07-31-2011, 08:53 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,777,918 times
Reputation: 28561

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post

The funny thing is when the young professionals reached their 40's... many looked to escape the city... especially if they had young children... many of the attractive qualities of urban living were no longer so attractive... simply moving another 10 minutes away would often put a person in a semi-rural environment which also equated with lower tax rates...

I realize the Bay Area is not typical of the country and Oakland has many issues uniquely Oakland...
I don't think these 40-somethings are leaving the city because of not liking urbanity and density. It is more like crappy schools and limited choice. I can think of plenty of youngish professionals not being able to find a big enough place in the city. And well, the price premium for homes in a better school district is cheaper than private school. I know a lot of these former "urbanites" moving to Alameda for better schools and walkability (the best of both worlds).
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Old 08-01-2011, 10:55 AM
 
28,110 posts, read 63,519,352 times
Reputation: 23235
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
I don't think these 40-somethings are leaving the city because of not liking urbanity and density. It is more like crappy schools and limited choice. I can think of plenty of youngish professionals not being able to find a big enough place in the city. And well, the price premium for homes in a better school district is cheaper than private school. I know a lot of these former "urbanites" moving to Alameda for better schools and walkability (the best of both worlds).
I see quite a few SF expatriates... all enjoyed the city till kids came into the picture... most were able to sell their loft or condo and buy nice family homes.

Somewhere, in one of the papers, a study was published about why parents were looking outside the city and financial reasons topped the list.

In the last year... 3 families I know relocated to Alameda.

One was a SF couple that I rented to in Oakland... they were quite happy till their child was redirected to a school other than the one they thought for first grade.

Within 10 days they had moved to Alameda...
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Old 08-01-2011, 11:09 AM
 
28,110 posts, read 63,519,352 times
Reputation: 23235
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
Obviously there are limits on how much investment income would be taxed. Put it this way, if you are making let's say under $1.5M in regular or investment income, we can keep the tax rate fairly similar to what it today, if not lower. Let's say 25%. Once you get past $1.5M it is time for progressive taxes on income and investments. Average Americans should be exempted from high taxes.

I do not disagree we have a spending problem. But unfortunately low and middle income Americans area spending a higher percentage of income on various taxes than a rich person is. We need to reduce the burden on our neediest Americans.

Rich people are paying the smallest portion of their money for taxes in 70 years. This is problematic.
Or it can be easily argued that "Rich" people have been on the hook for excess taxation for the last 70 years...

It is only natural that those with less income pay a greater percentage of income in some taxes...

A wealthy person pays the same gasoline tax as a poor person... yet both have equal use of the roads...

A wealthy person may pay less a smaller portion of income in sales tax or not... some wealthy have no aversion to spending.

So far, California does not tax Food and Services... so much of the essentials are tax free...

In my perfect world, a person would not need the services of a tax preparer just to file an Income Tax return...

The time I worked in Europe was a real eye opener... normal, everyday people, both renters and home owners never had to file tax returns and property tax was quite modest...

Value Added and Sales Tax made up for the difference... when I was there, a new car was 31% tax, normal goods 20% and food 10%...

Spending generates taxes and the well to do person buying a Mercedes paid for it at the time of sale vs a person buying a Yugo.

If the US went to a National Sales Tax in lieu of or in offset of other taxes I imagine there would be less need for tax professionals.
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Old 08-01-2011, 12:05 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,777,918 times
Reputation: 28561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post

One was a SF couple that I rented to in Oakland... they were quite happy till their child was redirected to a school other than the one they thought for first grade.
It cracks me up when people move to Oakland to escape the "city." Oakland has many of the same issues that plague SF when it comes to raising your family (and I am a big Oakland booster). If I had kids, it wouldn't be on my list since I would prefer to raise my kids in public schools in a good district. I'd be headed to Alameda or Albany in an instant. But that being said, there is a lot of progress on the school front in Oakland, and I might change my mind in 5 years. I'd definitely consider it in elementary school if I could ensure one of my choice schools.

But I do believe a lot of people leave the city, whether it is Oakland or SF due to the wrong combination of home size and neighborhood amenities.
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Old 08-01-2011, 04:30 PM
 
28,110 posts, read 63,519,352 times
Reputation: 23235
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
It cracks me up when people move to Oakland to escape the "city." Oakland has many of the same issues that plague SF when it comes to raising your family (and I am a big Oakland booster). If I had kids, it wouldn't be on my list since I would prefer to raise my kids in public schools in a good district. I'd be headed to Alameda or Albany in an instant. But that being said, there is a lot of progress on the school front in Oakland, and I might change my mind in 5 years. I'd definitely consider it in elementary school if I could ensure one of my choice schools.

But I do believe a lot of people leave the city, whether it is Oakland or SF due to the wrong combination of home size and neighborhood amenities.
The ones I was referring too were all able to rent a two or even a three bedroom for the price they were paying for a SF one bedroom... they needed more space for expanding families.

Oakland does have top rated public schools just as bottom rated... the problem is there is not enough top rated to meet the demand... this is why one couple made the move on short notice... they were very pleased with the school they thought their child was to attend and moved within days of learning their child was being re-directed.

An example of rent... 2 bedroom, 1 bath in a duplex in the Laurel/Dimond area $850 per month... the family was paying $1150 for their 1-bedroom SF unit.
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Old 08-03-2011, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,777,918 times
Reputation: 28561
It looks Matt Damon is on the raise taxes for the wealthy bandwagon.

Quote:
"The wealthy are paying less than they've paid at any time, certainly in my lifetime and probably in the last century. I don't know what they were paying in the Roaring '20s, but it's criminal that so little is asked of people who are getting so much. I don't mind paying more, I really don't mind paying more taxes. I'd rather pay more for taxes than cut Reading is Fundamental or Head Start, or some of these programs that are really helping kids. This is the greatest country in the world, is it that much worse if you pay 6 percent more in taxes? Give me a break. Look at what you get for it. You get to be American."
Source: Matt Damon's not to be messed with – The Marquee Blog - CNN.com Blogs

If richer people (or wealthier people) are saying they need to pay more in taxes, something is seriously out of whack.
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Old 08-03-2011, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,777,918 times
Reputation: 28561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post
Oakland does have top rated public schools just as bottom rated... the problem is there is not enough top rated to meet the demand...
I totally agree. It definitely takes time for systemic school improvement to catch on. Oakland has made huge strides in recent years, but arguably most urban areas in the US have the same exact problem.

Unfortunately, there only seems to be two ways to make sure your kid goes to a "good school" in California: pay for it in tuition or housing prices/property taxes in a well-regarded area.
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Old 08-03-2011, 05:22 PM
 
2,311 posts, read 3,496,451 times
Reputation: 1223
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
It looks Matt Damon is on the raise taxes for the wealthy bandwagon.
Quote:
"The wealthy are paying less than they've paid at any time, certainly in my lifetime and probably in the last century. I don't know what they were paying in the Roaring '20s, but it's criminal that so little is asked of people who are getting so much. I don't mind paying more, I really don't mind paying more taxes. I'd rather pay more for taxes than cut Reading is Fundamental or Head Start, or some of these programs that are really helping kids. This is the greatest country in the world, is it that much worse if you pay 6 percent more in taxes? Give me a break. Look at what you get for it. You get to be American."
Source: Matt Damon's not to be messed with – The Marquee Blog - CNN.com Blogs

If richer people (or wealthier people) are saying they need to pay more in taxes, something is seriously out of whack.
And who is this clown? The representative/spokes person of all rich people? And who are 'rich' people? People who make above $250,000 ? Struggling small business owners ..

You act for a living .. congratulations, you are one of a million who got lucky enough to make millions by showing up and following a script... Not everyone feels guilty about the wealth they have because it comes easy to them ....Some had to actually work hard for it..
Not everyone makes more money by publicity from showing up on every news outlet in America sharing what stupid/misinformed thoughts flow through their head....

So, speak for yourself Matt Damon ... Last I checked, you're free to donate however much more you want to give to the govt. or schools ... So why doesn't he do us all a favor.. Shut his pie hole and stop trying to get publicity which makes him more money ... and instead, like the other rich people, actually do something beneficial for this country like create jobs.. invest in cancer research.. Invest billions in education reform.. Actually do something besides bust his gums and act like the rich don't already pay 40-60% of the taxes in this country covering the wide excess and abuses of govt. Mark Zuckerburg actually put his money where his mouth was.... You're rich .. made rich by the consolidation of money from others.. Nothing stops you from engaging in Philantropy... Bill Gates and others are doing that very thing and its far more efficient than what our idiot/corrupt govt. is doing.

So F**** this herb and his stupid opinions. Go do something that makes a difference home slice !! Put your money where your flip hollywood mouth is.. While you're busy looking like some hero, how about you point out the many wastes of everyone's money on behalf of the govt. While you're busy racking up popularity points, why not do something unpopular like point out how govt. revenue is actually soaring through the roof but how through their idiocy, it doesn't get spent on things like education. He's right, this is a great country.. and it gets worse and worse each day by idiots in washington and clowns like himself who, instead of pointing out the real issues, engage in propaganda speeches in order to score political and popularity points .. .. I wish I was there, I would have gave this uninformed loser a piece of my mind.


I have a great solution though .. All of the rich people should just quit working today .. take 5 .. enjoy their wealth/lives/time and see how well the other people do in this country ...
See how good tax revenue is when all those people starving for a chance get a crack at it and the taxes/weight of government is placed on their shoulders. Something tells me, w/ that and the consequences of tax rates soaring and choking all in order to feed the beast govt. has become.. Everyone will then want to shrink and control the animal of govt....

It's always cool to tax someone when its not you.. or when you have so much.. got so much easily.. and don't know what to do w/ so much ... that you could car less about 6%.
Apply it to everyone in my opinion ... And see what people's responses are.

Last edited by yeahthatguy; 08-03-2011 at 05:33 PM..
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Old 08-03-2011, 05:29 PM
 
2,311 posts, read 3,496,451 times
Reputation: 1223
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
I totally agree. It definitely takes time for systemic school improvement to catch on. Oakland has made huge strides in recent years, but arguably most urban areas in the US have the same exact problem.

Unfortunately, there only seems to be two ways to make sure your kid goes to a "good school" in California: pay for it in tuition or housing prices/property taxes in a well-regarded area.
A slight clarification of 'good school' ...

From :
Quote:
Unfortunately, there only seems to be two ways to make sure your kid goes to a "good school" in California: pay for it in tuition or housing prices/property taxes in a well-regarded area.
To :
Unfortunately, there only seems to be two ways to make sure your kid goes to a school in California where there are Good students who actually want to learn: pay for it in tuition or housing prices/property taxes in a well-regarded area.
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Old 08-03-2011, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,179,281 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by yeahthatguy View Post
I have a great solution though .. All of the rich people should just quit working today .. take 5 .. enjoy their wealth/lives/time and see how well the other people do in this country ...
See how good tax revenue is when all those people starving for a chance get a crack at it and the taxes/weight of government is placed on their shoulders. Something tells me, w/ that and the consequences of tax rates soaring and choking all in order to feed the beast govt. has become.. Everyone will then want to shrink and control the animal of govt....

It's always cool to tax someone when its not you.. or when you have so much.. got so much easily.. and don't know what to do w/ so much ... that you could car less about 6%.
Apply it to everyone in my opinion ... And see what people's responses are.
I predict anyone who runs for office in 2012 on taxing the rich will win by a landslide. It's a very widely held sentiment right now. A majority are seriously POd that the debt deal didn't include such tax increases.
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