Sacramento Bee Tells You What the State Crap Sandwich Will Cost You
If you live in California, the Sacramento Bee has an online calculator that will help you learn how much extra you will pay in taxes if the Democrats manage to shove this $14 billion tax increase down our throats.
I don’t want to disclose how much the calculator said we’d have to pay, but — hang on a second — [An “intermission” sign goes up. Cue sound of elevator music. In the background, we hear the sound of disappearing footsteps down a long hallway. A heavy metal door is heard opening, then closing again. Now, just barely audible above the cheery music, we hear the sound of a middle-aged man behind the door, screaming unholy obscenities for about 30 seconds, until he becomes hoarse. The door is heard to open once again, then shut. The sound of approaching footsteps, the sign lifts, and —]
Well, anyway, it’s a lot.
Something to keep in mind, should the opportunity to join a taxpayer revolt arise.
Thanks to Mark.
UPDATE: One encouraging development: Republicans in the state Senate have tossed aside their former leader who was on board for the tax hike — and picked a new, strongly anti-tax leader.
This is a positive step, but I don’t hold out any hope for genuine spending cuts. (The Democrats have thus far portrayed the projected deficit at nearly $42 billion, in part by including projected spending increases as part of the budget. That way, when the money is kept at the same level, it can be portrayed as a “cut.” The L.A. Times, as always, is eager to accommodate such mendacity, referring to “the state’s nearly $42-billion budget gap” in this morning’s story.)
It would cost me quite a bit. But, unless we can somehow put existing state pensions on the table, along with deep cuts in bureaucratic jobs, I see no help for it.
As it stands, there are some cuts and the increases hit most taxpayers. Both good — I had feared they would try to balance it on sin taxes, property taxes and new top tax brackets. RAISE THAT SALES TAX and spread the pain. Then maybe people will be less likely to vote yes on some of these ballot items.
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 2/18/2009 @ 12:48 amWell, were I living in the state of my birth, te Pico family would supposedly pay another $1,272 in taxes. But I don’t live in the Golden State, so the only thing it will cost me is the sympathy I extend to my friends on the left coast.
But, there’s one just obvious-as-Hell question I haven’t seen asked: If California is facing a $41 billion budget deficit, why are y’all considering a $14 billion tax increase? It seems to me that y’all will just piss off everybody, and still have a huge deficit!
The Dana not in California (3e4784) — 2/18/2009 @ 3:54 amMine came out at “only” $410.00.
By my calculations, that is about three months of groceries for me. Not for emergency rooms for illegals, Spanish-language textbooks, the pension of some seat-warming quota-hire at 107 South Broadway, or paper to print more business-hostile regulations on.
I put my native state in my rearview mirror back in July of 2005 and have never felt a single pang of regret.
As for the state employeess who will soon find themselves on the outside looking in, I have this to say: welcome to the real world, bunkie. Welcome to the realities faced by those who are, or were, compelled to pay for your living under threat from the badges and guns of your employer. Sucks, doesn’t it?
the friendly grizzly (77fb0e) — 2/18/2009 @ 4:06 amThe entire bill is phony. Hugh Hewitt went through it yesterday. The “cuts in spending” are all cuts in projected increases or school spending that is postponed and will have to be repaid. It is a bait and switch situation like most California legislating. Hewitt is furious, promising to oppose any Republican who votes for it. His other point, that I thought was more important, was that any Republican who votes for this bill will be so vilified he will not be able to find work as a lobbyist. That THAT is a threat.
Mike K (2cf494) — 2/18/2009 @ 5:11 amThere’s only one way out of this mess, and it’s a dramatic rebooting of the entire state government. From the very top staff to the lowest worker, every state agency needs to be closed and replaced with the essential emergency, transportation, and safety agencies. Everything else must go.
But the entire universe would end for the people on the inside of the largess. They can’t see this as an Ok solution, because it means they have to find work in the private sector. so the only working solution is not even considered. Until things go from worse to worser.
Juan (4cdfb7) — 2/18/2009 @ 5:32 amI live in NY but I used to live in CA, and did the calculations for kicks. (NYers also are under the big guns tax-wise. – We are waiting to see if our state refunds get withheld!) This calculator shows at least 1 thing I don’t understand – all other factors remaining the same, as the # of children increases, so does the tax bite. Penalizing families? Pushing abortion and homosexuality? What?
Peg C. (48175e) — 2/18/2009 @ 6:00 amI suggest we stock up on pitchforks and torches before they are outlawed.
Old Coot (7721b8) — 2/18/2009 @ 6:22 amCash Obama, meet Cash Arnold! This is what happens when Democrats are consistently elected and yes, Arnold is a Dem.
GM Roper who wants DRJ back (85dcd7) — 2/18/2009 @ 6:39 amWow!
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/02/18/california-republicans-oust-senate-leader-dig-in/
From the press release:
“A state budget deal to close a $41 billion shortfall has been put further into question early this morning after Senate Republicans ousted their leader who had helped negotiate the long-awaited plan with other top lawmakers in California.”
“Cogdill was one of the four legislative leaders who negotiated the emergency budget deal with the governor.”
“Republicans selected Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta (Riverside County) as their new Minority leader. Hollingsworth is part of the conservative wing of the Senate Republican caucus and he has been adamantly against raising any taxes.”
Apparently, most republicans all over are finding those two hairy organs that have been chafing their trousers for the past 8 years.
Joeboy (a8060f) — 2/18/2009 @ 6:52 amMore taxes for our despots in WASHINGTON D.C.(DISTRICT of CRINIMALS)still stealing from us as usial
Krazy Kagu (d47573) — 2/18/2009 @ 7:16 amPeg C,
The reason you pay more if you have more kids is because you lose a portion of the child credit.
Assumes each dependent tax credit reduced by $210.
Chris (b886a5) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:11 amI work for a branch of the state govt, and I support the tax revolt. Either it comes crashing down now or soon enough. Let’s get the pain over with–and stop all these ridiculous expenditures. Like gang money to Hector Maroquin.
Like stem cell research.
Like expanding board seats to accomodate 14 out of work pols at $100K a year (CUIAB).
Let the lights go out. Stay strong, Reps.
Patricia (89cb84) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:16 amWhere can I find a real analysis of the budget crisis, like the Hewitt article you mentioned?
Patricia (89cb84) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:19 amMy taxes would have gone up $2526 annually according to the calculator at the SacBee link.
JD (d5a778) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:38 amChris, thanks. I don’t have kids so never took the credit. I hope the Republicans hold out, but it looks like the Dems will become terrorists and hold everyone hostage to this travesty.
Peg C. (48175e) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:39 amRob Reiner’s cigarette tax fund First-Five paid $4 million last year to KCET to fund the “Sid the Science Kid” TV program. I don’t know if this is an ongoing project, or what, but that $4 million payment shows up in 2008. These idiots fund crap like this instead of reducing the $70 billion in tax increases over the next several years.
Wesson (3ab0b8) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:44 amhttp://pbskids.org/sid/#/playground
There is revolt in the works. I’m sure various places are coordinating it and the various efforts need to communicate with each other to be of one accord. I am looking to network with various organizations to this end. There is one at resistnet.com and their state group ‘The California Patriots’. Thought I’d mention it in case anyone wants to see what people out here are trying to organize. You do not have to join resistnet.com to view or track their efforts.
spinninginca (b52d48) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:46 amFYI
spinninginca, why revolt? If there is enough anger with the people, why not just start a political party?
It’s not terribly unlikely that with the dissatisfaction with both parties, and with the GOP’s identity crisis, and with the unprecedented power grabs by unpopular governments, that this would be one of the several times a new political party came into being and became successful.
The secret is to not be radical. No patriot wants to face the Cali National Guard or US military…. we love those guys. Until the ballot box stops working, I think it’s wrong to consider a revolt (unless you don’t really mean ‘revolt’ and you mean some kind of civil protest).
Juan (4cdfb7) — 2/18/2009 @ 9:03 amLayoff notices to State Employees…
Well, it’s a start.
AD - RtR/OS (dd5f17) — 2/18/2009 @ 9:27 amSHUT IT DOWN!
Why is it such a travesty for the government to have to lay people off? Private sector is forced to make these kinds of decisions every day. It is telling that it is only a last resort for government, and more of a rhetorical tactic/hollow threat in negotiations than anything else. Even if it were a real threat, wouldn’t that be a good thing? Maybe then, just maybe, people would start to see why and how they arrived at this circumstance.
JD (d5a778) — 2/18/2009 @ 9:42 amBecause the government is above the market JD. All those false constructs like supply and demand can be legislated into order as the demi-gods wish. It’s a travesty because the people who are imagining the new reality of true government order aren’t wishing hard enough for the transcendance to come about. Damn you unbelievers, and get your hands off me you damn dirty apostates! /snark?
bonhomme (418462) — 2/18/2009 @ 10:27 amOh, yeah. My bad. Sorry 😉
JD (d5a778) — 2/18/2009 @ 10:34 amIt is amazing that the media doesn’t correct the fraudulent spin from state goverment about the depth of the issue. Make no mistake, the plan is a bad government trifecta even with this spin: 1/3rd from taxpayers in a recession, 1/3rd from our kids (bonds, don’t expect any ‘thanks Dad’ when the bill is due), and 1/3rd from government not growing i.e. what Arnold and the MSM wants to call a “cut”. The real story is the two groups with few friends in Sacramento – taxpayers, represented by the low power Repbulicans, and the next generation, represented by…………when did ‘it’s for the children’ go out of fashion anyway?
EBJ (2fd7f7) — 2/18/2009 @ 11:27 amOK, who can we sell CA to, and how much can we get for it?
Me, I left CA a while back when my total tax load cleared 60%. It would probably be much higher today.
bill-tb (26027c) — 2/18/2009 @ 11:35 amWe cannot sell California until we have finished giving Minnesota to the French-Canadians, after the whole alfuckinfranken fiasco.
JD (d5a778) — 2/18/2009 @ 11:38 amMaybe we can sell it to FIAT, after all, they took a major part of Chrysler off of Cerberus’ hands for No Cash, they just might be stupid enough to want their own state?
I wonder if they could get the trains & busses to run on time?
AD - RtR/OS (dd5f17) — 2/18/2009 @ 12:26 pmI sent an e-mail to George Skelton this morning about his column and got a reply that shows he is still convinced he’s right.
Where can I find a real analysis of the budget crisis, like the Hewitt article you mentioned?
Comment by Patricia
You can usually rely on Dan Walter who will tell it like it is. That was from last year.
Here’s more.
Mike K (f89cb3) — 2/18/2009 @ 12:43 pm“the state’s nearly $42-billion budget gap”
This Times statement is the mentality that is destoying this nation. “BUDGET GAP”??? Give me a frikken brake! As a born and raised in the Capital of Cal citizen, I hope this state goes bankrupt and sends ripples across the world. The Bee today has commenters in one article wanting to crucify the one Republican Senator that is holding up this deficit busting legislation and they’re callin’ me every name in the book for calling him a HERO.
Rovin (a5d8b7) — 2/18/2009 @ 2:33 pmi doubt you’ll see a tax revolt. But an exodus is another thing.And it’s a built in positive feedback mechanism,once it reaches an unknown critical mass. by that i mean,each productive peron leaving creates a tax void that must be filled by an increasing burden on the remaining earners. sure wish von nueumann was still alive to predict the economics. maybe some one could ask is daughter
corwin (4e7ba4) — 2/18/2009 @ 8:39 pmYou can usually rely on Dan Walter who will tell it like it is.
^ Sounds like long overdue reform. But I thought most of the propositions supported by Schwarzenegger a few years ago — and which the voters in their infinite (lack of) wisdom turned down — made a lot of sense. It was right after the governor’s defeat that he became more liberal in tone and demeanor—a “girly man,” if you will.
A majority of Californians — foolishly under the belief that their political preferences make them so very civilized, compassionate, kind, noble and sophisticated — brought this mess upon themselves. They have no one to blame but themselves.
(However, I will say that I’m sorry for those Californians [the non-majority on most election days] who aren’t the reason this state has become so very blue — politically — on one hand, so very red — ie, as in spendthrift budgeting — on the other.)
Mark (411533) — 2/18/2009 @ 9:33 pmOne question about all the built in entitlement.
If my employer can take away my benefits at a drop of the hat.
and
If the state can exhorbantly raise taxes anytime they feel like it
Why can’t entitlements be just taken away. Government has lied to everyone else. They need to deal equally with themself (Aren’t sadeism and masochism linked?). I think we should demand it–and of course they listen to the people.
James Ferrel (c15172) — 3/3/2009 @ 9:12 pm[…] The paper persisted in its usual tactic of describing a cut in projected wish list spending as a budget cut. This way, even keeping spending at the same level gets described as a “cut.” […]
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