California Income Taxes (sales, violent crime, how much)

[eccotecc]

As a California income taxpayer, what benefits do you receive from the money you're paying to the state? Personally, I can't think of many. We pay property taxes, we pay sales taxes, we pay gas taxes, we pay utility taxes, we pay gasoline taxes, we pay fees for visiting parks, professionals pay fees for licenses, we pay automobile registration and driver license fees, and I'm sure many of you can think of other taxes and fees I've missed.

This hit home recently when visiting a state park. It cost $10 to visit a state park and $9 for seniors. National Parks give seniors a lifetime pass after a certain age but not California. Would it be unreasonable if the State would give back to those who have and continue to pay income taxes a free park pass after reaching retirement age?

[Bulldogdad]

20% to pensions for state workers.

35% for healthcare.

Everything else pales in comparison.

[incognitoe]

States income tax is nothing. Take a look at what the Feds takes from us. And exactly what are the benefits we get from paying this?

Not much really. Most of it is diverted to War and the rest is to help the poor red states. They then gives us a little back and tells us what we can and cannot do with it.

How much exactly are you paying in State Tax? The amt I pay in Federal Income Tax, is enough to buy a really nice car. In 2 years, enough to put on a down-payment on a house.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

As a California income taxpayer, what benefits do you receive from the money you're paying to the state? Personally, I can't think of many. We pay property taxes, we pay sales taxes, we pay gas taxes, we pay utility taxes, we pay gasoline taxes, we pay fees for visiting parks, professionals pay fees for licenses, we pay automobile registration and driver license fees, and I'm sure many of you can think of other taxes and fees I've missed.

The balance to politicians and their friends.

[CA4Now]

Wow....Corrections and Rehabilitation is higher than one would assume.
https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/taxReceipt/

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Wow....Corrections and Rehabilitation is higher than one would assume.
https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/taxReceipt/

Corrections is a bit lower than it was in the past, a few years ago they were spending more on prisons than on higher education

[Beardown91737]

The state spends wastefully and the priorities are bad. Prisoners are being released early and the people suffer for it. Jobs are chased out of the state by the dozens every day, which is a slow leak that goes unreported by the media. Only Toyota scale departures get reported.

That is why we need to care about the state just as much or more than Federal. Federal wastes money but that affects completing states like Texas equally.

Originally Posted by incognitoe

States income tax is nothing. Take a look at what the Feds takes from us. And exactly what are the benefits we get from paying this?

Not much really. Most of it is diverted to War and the rest is to help the poor red states. They then gives us a little back and tells us what we can and cannot do with it.

How much exactly are you paying in State Tax? The amt I pay in Federal Income Tax, is enough to buy a really nice car. In 2 years, enough to put on a down-payment on a house.

California benefits when Arizona and New Mexico (not a red state) take in more than they pay to the US. This is because goods unloaded at California ports have to move through AZ and NM to reach consumers in Texas.

Most of what states pay in is not diverted to war. Most money goes to entitlements, like Social Security, but just go ahead and type incorrect information until it is repeated enough that it goes unchallenged.

[2sleepy]

[quote=Beardown91737;40170018]The state spends wastefully and the priorities are bad. Prisoners are being released early and the people suffer for it. Jobs are chased out of the state by the dozens every day, which is a slow leak that goes unreported by the media. Only Toyota scale departures get reported.

There are no prisoners being released early. The only time that any incarcerated person is released early is in some County Jails where Sheriff's have the discretion to release inmates early due to overcrowding. For craps sake the US puts more people in prison than any other country in the world- I wish they would release some of them early, paying for all this 'justice' is killing us. Over half the people in prison are there for non violent crimes they could be managed in other ways for 10-20% of what it costs to keep them in prison.

[eccotecc]

The point I'm trying to make is the taxpayers don't see a benefit from the taxes they pay. So where does the money go? All I'm asking for is to allow seniors to use state parks for free. Why not give something back to the people who are paying the bills. On the other hand, I challenge someone to tell me what benefits income taxpayers receive. Even if a person wants to fish a license costs $60 and the state has cut back on stocking because they don't want to pay what it cost to transport fish from hatcheries to lakes and streams.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

The point I'm trying to make is the taxpayers don't see a benefit from the taxes they pay. So where does the money go? All I'm asking for is to allow seniors to use state parks for free. Why not give something back to the people who are paying the bills. On the other hand, I challenge someone to tell me what benefits income taxpayers receive. Even if a person wants to fish a license costs $60.

I'm a 'senior citizen' and I don't mind paying $9, to me that's chump change- I can't see why anyone would make a fuss over that.