You don't get it. Our corporations have outsourced and contracted our middle class over seas. Profits are up and payroll is down...
Why in the world would ya cap property taxes?? Those who have a capped tax should then be capped by how much resources you're allowed to use too.
I probably wasn't paying attention too closely back when TABOR was initiated. I don't recall "out of control spending", but I'm sure there was.. otherwise there'd be no TABOR. The politicos have tried a couple of times to repeal TABOR, but the voters have prevented it. Anything which limits government spending is a plus. CA and the Feds have shown us what happens when there is little or no restraint on spending. And as for the perpetual clamor for "more money for education"... that's a croc. We keep spending more on ed but the kids don't do any better. All we get out of it is phony grading and more lavish teacher retirement packages. Kids can't be cajoled into learning... like Dick Cavett says, "You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think".
Proposition 13 was a reaction in the 1970's to uncontrolled spending and property tax raises. Retired people on fixed income were losing their homes when they couldn't pay higher taxes. It may not be perfect but it's better than the alternative, and the politicians brought it on themselves. BTW, there is a new movement to repeal Prop 13. Of course they don't advertise it as "get rid of the limitations and we'll be able to raise your taxes as much as we want". I think it's more "think of the children - those poor teachers need higher salaries and pensions".
If you give the government more in tax revenue, they will just spend more. Also raising property taxes 1%, would cause house prices to fall about 20%. Doing this would cause even more forclosures for which the government would have to bail the banks out again to the tune of a few hundred billion at least. So...is it worth it to raise property taxes and collect a few extra billion for the state of CA only to have the other 49 states foot the bill for the a few hundred billion in bank bailouts? Where in the history of the world has a country grown more prosperous by raising taxes higher and higher? Raising taxes makes a country poorer. CA is the cash cow of the United states. We bring in over 300 billion per year just in federal tax revenue, yet our state expenses are about 1/3rd that amount. So it seems to me we are paying for alot of other states.
when Aerospace just left Calif for better locales Dianne Feinstein said "we didn't realize how much our State was dependent on Aerospace".... these people in charge are as fat and dumb as the Roman leaders were and barbarians are literally taking over the state too... I'll drink to the barbarians, what else can I do and still be "well adjusted"???
the democrats in Sacramento followed a tax like hell and give away money social programs to attract free loaders from all over the U.S. and the world. They succeeded. We have a very narrow income tax base - I think I read that only 1/3 of the residents pay income taxes and its why CA is screwed. Those paying taxes are taxed to an extreme. The only option is to cut the six figure government worker salaries and the welfare give aways. Higher taxes will just be more destructive.
You don't get it. Our corporations have outsourced and contracted our middle class over seas. Profits are up and payroll is down... __________________________________________________ Bingo. And nowthat I went from the Financial World, Private Equity (only dealing with the Wealthy here in the US and Domestic Owners of Manufactures....) to becoming a Partner in a small US company that deals with Freight Forwardes, Global Cargo and Manufacturing Companies...I really see how much of our "Jobs" and Production have left. But, I do not blame anyone but our own People and Gov. Unions are at the head of the tabel. The masses of idiots who voted for Unions, who pushed in the Democrates, who back the Liberals. Game is over people. The millions of unemployed will probably stay that way for a decaded. They will eventually be added to the Wealfair State. California is in a Depression. As are some other Key states in the East. So go Cali, so goes the rest of the country. It looks like that could be the case, according to the current economic numbers and the FEDs whisper of Double Dip. Do not be surprised if many states issue IOUs startingin 2011. Not sure if the FED GOV will follow...as that may cause a revolution.