THIS SUCKS!

[jp5]

Reporting from Sacramento -- California's Democratic leaders were planning a vote today on a brazen proposal to raise gas, sales and income taxes through a series of legal maneuvers that would bypass the Legislature's minority Republicans.

The Democratic gambit, announced Wednesday, would raise $9.3 billion to ease the state's fiscal crisis by increasing sales taxes by three-fourths of a cent and gas taxes by 13 cents a gallon, starting in February. The plan would add a surcharge of 2.5% to everyone's 2009 state income tax bill.


Just what those of us who barely make ends meet and live paycheck to paycheck need.

[isobars]

How else will you guys pay for that stupid high-speed rail system nobody's going to use, which seems to be a higher priority than fixing the economy?

Mike

[windoggi]

We're sorry Mr. Fick.

[swchandler]

How about a tough dose of reality? Stuff is readilly falling apart on the national and state level, and one wonders how much longer can we think that stuff doesn't need to be paid for. The "don't look to me to support the goals of the state" mentality is so short sided.

California's 2/3 vote requirement to revisit tax requirements is the root core of the problem. The Republicans in the state government are clearly proving that. An irresponsible and uncaring minority trying to push for stupidity in a complex game where investment is what's needed.

In my opinion, not the folks you would want as your neighbors.

[isobars]

I'd think you WOULD be, give that it's your money ... unless and until some idiot federal administration bails out CA with the whole nation's money.

Mike

[markpeters]

I wouldn't mind paying higher taxes if I didn't think the money was being wasted.

[markpeters]

What bothers me about the hogs in Sacramento taxing me more is that in a normal business transaction I can decide whether what I am getting is worth what I am paying, and not proceed if the value is not there. With the government they force me to pay regardless of the value (or lack there of) given in return.

[markpeters]

Another thing that bothers me is sheltered government employment. I recently had the pleasure of being audited for my city taxes. The city auditor didn't understand accrual accounting, and wanted me to restated our last 3 years financial statements on a cash basis!!! Her boss told me that was their methodology. I doubt there was even one year of college accounting between the 2 of them.

At least the British have the sense to put the useless ones on the dole rather than employ them in positions where they can ruin a month of my life - 4 weeks of working just on this audit is a waste of time when we already had audited financial statements prepared in conformance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practice for the non geeks).

Conclusion of story - they got an extra $1,000 out of us, certainly less than the cost of her time, her bosses time and my productivity. I cannot bring myself to call their working hours productivity.

[windoggi]

[windsrf]

It's called representative gov't. If you don't want taxes vote Repub or move where they don't have them and suffer even worse infrastructure issues. Alternatively, stop driving on non-toll roads, stop breathing clean air, stop windsurfing in relatively clean water, stop educating kids, stop fighting forest fires.....

I agree that the 2/3 vote process has to go. However, it's also critical to separate Prop 13 protection for homeowners from Prop 13 protection for corporate property. The latter "gift" is one of our biggest and least acknowledged boondoggles.

David