Why can’t we vote for lower cost of government as well as a tax increase?
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Posted: Saturday, March 17, 2012 12:00 am
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Updated: 6:54 am, Sat Mar 17, 2012.
Why can’t we vote for lower cost of government as well as a tax increase?
By the Lodi News-Sentinel
Lodinews.com
|
It's just a wish, but wouldn't it be great if voters could vote to cut the cost of state government as well as increase taxes?
Sacramento was all aflutter this past week when Gov. Jerry Brown and several union leaders worked out a compromise tax increase proposal that they hope to put on the ballot in November.
There may be two of these on the ballot, but presumably the compromise will assure this is the front-runner.
If proponents get enough signatures this spring and enough votes in November, the income tax on the state's richest people will be increased along with the sales tax. California will then step $9 billion closer to a balanced budget.
Meanwhile, the unions have enough influence with Democrats in the legislature to block the governor's proposal to cut pension costs. Legislative Republicans have introduced the Democratic governor's bill, but as long as nearly all Democrats oppose it, it will go nowhere.
And get this: There was a pension reform proposal ready for signature gathering, but author Daniel Pellissier withdrew it. Secretary of State Kamala Harris, a Democrat, condemned it to failure with a biased, unpalatable title and summary.
What we wonder is why the Republicans aren't pushing Brown's reform proposal for the ballot. Would Harris give her fellow Democrat's idea the same bad brand she gave Republican Pellissier's proposal?
We're just asking.
Posted in
Editorials
on
Saturday, March 17, 2012 12:00 am.
Updated: 6:54 am.
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Darrell Baumbach posted at 12:49 am on Wed, Mar 21, 2012.
But based on news reports, here is a sampling of companies that moved partly or completely out of California in 2011: Most businesses leaving California went to Texas, Florida and Nevada...where state income taxes are zero.
Some are well known: Dunn-Edwards Paints in Vernon; and eBay Inc. in San Jose which will add 1,000 high-paying jobs in Austin, Texas, after receiving government incentives to locate there. The new owner of Claim Jumper and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurants moved the headquarters for both chains to Houston. Hyundai Capital America in Irvine transferred 71 jobs to Georgia and Texas.
In addition, Rockwell Collins in Irvine moved its electromechanical systems work to Mexico and Florida. Tickets.com in Costa Mesa closed its Concord office and moved the call center and customer service work to Texas. Wells Fargo Bank moved 59 jobs from Orange County to India.
Here are some of the Orange County departures in 2011:
Legacy Electronics to South Dakota
EDM Laboratories to Texas
Ossur Americas moved knee-brace manufacturing from Foothill Ranch to Mexico, laying off 109 people in Orange County
MVM Technologies moved from San Clemente to Washington D.C. The company was also wooed by economic development staffs in Oregon, Texas and Ohio.
Kairak closed its Fullerton plant and moved the work to Fort Worth, Texas.
LeMaitre Vascular Inc., based in Massachusetts, closed its Laguna Hills factoryAccentCare, a home healthcare provider, moved its corporate headquarters from Irvine to Dallas
Darrell Baumbach posted at 12:49 am on Wed, Mar 21, 2012.
As far as the article stating why dont we rasie taxes... answer... conserve jobs...
http://www.taxrates.cc/html/06f-america-tax-2011.html
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While states like California, Hawaii and Wisconsin are looking to boost taxes for millionaires, others such as New Jersey and Rhode Island are shaving taxes for those at the top. If you're not in the top tax bracket, you may still benefit from a move, since seven states impose no income tax at the state level: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. No-income-tax states have lured the likes of Tiger Woods and Rush Limbaugh who reportedly moved to Florida simply to avoid additional tax. While a move may seem like a huge commitment, studies suggest that seeking out a more tax-favored state is becoming more popular for those of us who aren't sports professionals or rock stars. A move across the border from Oregon to Washington, for example, could mean more than 10% of your pay stays in your wallet.
Darrell Baumbach posted at 11:20 pm on Tue, Mar 20, 2012.
Jerry stated...I don't have a pension and my retirement will come from my savings alone...I don't get any Social Security and don't expect to even though I have paid it all my life. But I am smart enough to know BS when I read it.
Jerry.. I am curious about your post. Normally, when a person pays into social security for their lifetime, and is not also not in some type of state employee defined benefit pension like you stated, social security kicks in some type of retirement benefit. My wife who worked private sector for years before she became a teacher, paid into Social Security. However, when she retired with her STRS pension, social security did not pay as it was reduced in an offset.
Can you please explain why social security will not pay for you since you appear to be eligible. Most people who earn 70-75k a year or more would get a SS payout of $2,000 per month or more.
Jerry Bransom posted at 8:20 pm on Sun, Mar 18, 2012.
I just do not understand the hidden agenda of those trying to destroy the main ingredient of the Middle Class American Dream. About 3 percent of total State spending goes to the cost of public pensions. The majority of the State’s budget cost is earmarked for public education, higher education, and corrections. Even if there were no pensions, the State would still have a large deficit. Why do you have to stigmatize Unions? Also, let's call them what they are.. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE Unions. How about all the double and triple dipping public pensioners.. you know, the union guys boss? No comment there? What about all the big millionaires that made their money using their political contributions to garner business & tax breaks from Municipalities? I don't have a pension and my retirement will come from my savings alone. I don't get any Social Security and don't expect to even though I have paid it all my life. But I am smart enough to know BS when I read it.