Why are California's tax rates so much higher than Wyoming?

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

Looks like a 1,700 square foot home in Wyoming has only 1,200 dollars of the property tax a year.

Allow me to introduce you to the Economics 101 concept of supply and demand.

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by NJmann

You compare apple vs oranges.

California has much higher population (largest in the country), more social benefits and much more desirable state than Wyoming who is virtually unknown even in this country. They run differently and also supply/demand.

Population :

Wyoming- 580,000

California- 40 Million

GDP:

Wyoming- $34.4 Billion

California- $ $2.7 Trillion

[banjomike]

Wyoming depends on it's oil and coal depletion taxes for it's revenue.
Every car-load of coal that leaves the state is taxed heavily. Wyoming's coal goes to power all the plants in the west that still burn coal. Before it ran out, oil was taxed similarly.

The state is now caught in a bind. Coal is now no cheaper than natural gas, and there's a lot of natural gas. Power plants are switching over to gas because it burns cleaner. So the state's main revenue source is diminishing.

At the same time, the state is steadily losing it's population. Wyoming's youth grow up and leave, and outside of coal, there are no other major industries in the state except for farming and ranching. Both are being done now by old men, and the old men are slowly dying out.

Because the state has been conservative for so long, the property taxes are extremely low.

Low taxes are the other reason why the billionaires have built their huge trophy vacation homes in Jackson Hole instead of somewhere like Vale. But they don't bring much income into the state. Jackson Hole benefits, but the state doesn't.

so one of the nation's wealthiest natural-reserve states is caught in a financial bind it can't escape.

[lorryw]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

Because California is desirable. Wyoming isn’t and never will be.

California is a MESS because of the government makeup of politicians that 1) are bought and paid for, 2) are totally incompetent and incapable of the job, and 3) should never be allowed into any political seat whatsoever. In addition you have the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power totally destroying both the eastern and western sides of the Sierra Nevada mountain range (western side is super bad because LADWP is diverting...I call it stealing...the water from the San-Joaquin/Central Valley thus destroying agriculture and ranching; i.e., OUR FOOD!). California needs to dump the bad politicians plus all the terrible (and illegal) laws they have passed in the...at least...last 75 years and start over. It was the CA government stupidity and greed for $'s that send our most productive businesses running to Arizona and Texas!

Since I have lived here sine 1938, I do know that of which I speak!