Where does all that money collected by outrageous taxes, fees, fines, and costs go in California? (Fresno: real estate, home)

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Roger that!

Who's Roger? Rabbit? And how much does he get paid? Union?

[DenaDude]

Originally Posted by neutrino78x

Sheesh, hope you guys don't vote, if you can't read and understand a few paragrahs. I had to study manuals in the military, and write reports longer than what I wrote above. Contrary to telemutt's claim that no one receives extensive training unless they are an officer. But again I can only speak for submarines, which are considered to be elite units.

Servants of the State of California are grossly overpaid. It is waste, fraud and abuse. Unions should not be allowed, and if they are allowed they should not be able to negotiate pay and benefits. Pensions should be "defined contribution".

Anyway yes I agree the state doesn't manage its funds properly, and like I said, that is why I often vote for Republicans on the local and state level.

The CA HSR is a case in point. Supposedly it will average over 200 mph, but it has many unnecessary stops. A state transit system only needs to stop in the largest cities. One per county, basically. The HSR was originally claimed to cost 25 billion, I think the estimate is almost 60 now. I voted against it because, apparently unlike some on here, the voter information guide was not too long for me to read and understand, and I felt like that state could not afford it and could not be trusted to implement it well.

I will probably use it if/when it is completed, but it is a waste imho. That money would have been more effective if spent on improving our water handling infrastructure: pipes, aqueducts, solar distillation plants.

Know your audience.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by neutrino78x

... I can only speak for submarines, which are considered to be elite units.

Except by everyone who isn't a submariner. Which others merely consider submariners seriously odd.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Who's Roger? Rabbit? And how much does he get paid? Union?

First cousin of Wilco Wabbit.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Though where all the money in general fund goes to? Why the state is in poor shape? Despite having 30 + million people paying outrages money to the government. It appears general funds seems to be a big mysterious black hole. We can also ask where all those court fees on tickets goes to? Are courts really that expensive to operate in CA?

Everything is expensive in California. Sort of a dog chasing its tail. Everything is expensive so everyone needs to make more money. Everyone makes more money everything is more expensive.
You have judges, Bailiffs, court clerks, court workers, the buildings, the grounds, electrical, maintenance, maintenance crew, outside vendors, billing etc. it's no different than a business.

30 million people. Think about that. The infrastructure to support THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE is not going to be cheap.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Everything is expensive in California. Sort of a dog chasing its tail. Everything is expensive so everyone needs to make more money. Everyone makes more money everything is more expensive.
You have judges, Bailiffs, court clerks, court workers, the buildings, the grounds, electrical, maintenance, maintenance crew, outside vendors, billing etc. it's no different than a business.

30 million people. Think about that. The infrastructure to support THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE is not going to be cheap.

Though doesn't it also mean we have 30 million taxpayers to support such infrastructure by paying such high fees repeatedly in their everyday life?

Or come to think of it isn't it like selling lots of expensive tickets/seats to a show wouldn't that offset the cost of running the show and the huge theatre, which ain't cheap to maintain nor operate? Also don't business grow bigger when they get more customers? More customers = more dollars to expand the infrastructure to accommodate even more. Isn't it less paying customers that they are afraid of. Isn't it ironic we have 30 million people paying the highest fees in the nation yet still cannot maintain the normal average standard of service.

Also how do we compare with Texas, another humongous state with a large diverse population, actually its the third most populated state in the union?

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Isn't it ironic we have 30 million people paying the highest fees in the nation yet still cannot maintain the normal average standard of service.

Also how do we compare with Texas, another humongous state with a large diverse population, actually its the third most populated state in the union?

Who says we have the highest fees in the nation?

And who says we don't maintain the normal average standard of service?

Who defines "the average standard of service"?

And, by the way, all your questions are readily researchable and answered on the internet. Only problem with looking them up yourself, I would guess, is you don't get to vent out loud socially as you go through your lists?

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Though doesn't it also mean we have 30 million taxpayers to support such infrastructure by paying such high fees repeatedly in their everyday life?

Or come to think of it isn't it like selling lots of expensive tickets/seats to a show wouldn't that offset the cost of running the show and the huge theatre, which ain't cheap to maintain nor operate? Also don't business grow bigger when they get more customers? More customers = more dollars to expand the infrastructure to accommodate even more. Isn't it less paying customers that they are afraid of. Isn't it ironic we have 30 million people paying the highest fees in the nation yet still cannot maintain the normal average standard of service.

Also how do we compare with Texas, another humongous state with a large diverse population, actually its the third most populated state in the union?

>>>>>Texas is the second most populous state, and was also the second most populous state after the 2010 Census. Florida passed New York after the 2010 Census to become the third most populous state. Illinois is 5th, but far behind New York and gained under 30,000 people (net) between the Census and 7/1/2015. Between the 2010 Census and 7/1/2015, the population of Texas increased a bit over 2.3 million. The increase for California over the same period was just under 2 million.



>>>>>Unless this has changed recently (which I would doubt), the only public employees in Texas who are allowed to bargain collectively are police and fire, and they have to get permission from each local jurisdiction. I live in The Woodlands, TX. A few years ago the firemen got the issue, to allow them to bargain collectively, on the ballot (they put up many lawn signs, etc)...but the voters rejected their request.

The Woodlands is a Township, but not a township in the sense of those in New England, etc. It is a 'special purpose district', and also a 'political subdivision within the State of Texas'. The three most significant events (IMO) that have happened re 'the Township and the future' since I moved here in 2008...

1. The many HOAs merged and (almost all) are now under the auspices of the Township. This was good because it allowed the fees to now become an item on property tax bills, making them a tax deduction for more people.

2. The Township paid Houston $14 million (per a previous agreement) to get out of Houston's ETJ (Extra Territorial Jurisdiction) which means the City of Houston can't come in and annex the community, as they did with Kingwood (another large MPC).

3. The agreement to get out of the ETJ called for an election to take place re incorporation in 2014 IF the residents so desired. The Township commissioned a survey, and the results showed that residents were against incorporation, so the election didn't take place. I hope this is put off indefinitely. If The Woodlands incorporated, it is my understanding that it would largely be the residents (109,000+) who would pay for road maintenance, rather than the county. The roads get heavy use from people who do not live in The Woodlands. Police services are provided via contracts with MCSO and HCSO (the Sheriff's offices). As in the rest of Texas, we also have Constable's Office deputies, and occasional DPS State Troopers (the latter = sort of Texas's version of the CHP).



>>>>> I haven't looked it up, but off the top of my head I'd say there are probably more toll roads in Texas than in California.....but we don't have any bridges with tolls (at least that I am aware of).

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

And, yes again as the city we live in gives free range for their police officers to troll the streets searching for ticket revenue. They will cite you for the most minor of offenses. A friend parked by a meter to run into a dry cleaner and the meter tripped 3 minutes before she arrived back to a lady writing her up a ticket! The nooks and crannies are being stretched and turned inside out!!

Of course that never happens anywhere except California, right? Try driving around Reno sometime, speed limits change every mile or two frequently from 45 mph to 20 mph with no apparent reason, and where ever that happens there is at least one cop hiding out waiting for some poor ******* who missed the sign.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Everything is expensive in California. Sort of a dog chasing its tail. Everything is expensive so everyone needs to make more money. Everyone makes more money everything is more expensive. You have judges, Bailiffs, court clerks, court workers, the buildings, the grounds, electrical, maintenance, maintenance crew, outside vendors, billing etc. it's no different than a business.
30 million people. Think about that. The infrastructure to support THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE is not going to be cheap.

huh, everything is expensive? Are you absolutely sure of that? I agree, we have judges, bailiffs, electricians etc but even though I have not been to every state, the 40 + that I have visited also have people working in those jobs.