It looks like the fix is in for massive tax increases in California, put together by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger-Shriver-Kennedy and legislative leaders. The tax increases are supposed to be “temporary” — that is, permanent. Here’s what is in the works, although the details could change:
• Increasing the state’s sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar.
• Increasing gasoline taxes by 12 cents per gallon.
• Raising the state’s vehicle license fee from the current 0.65 percent of a vehicle’s value to 1.15 percent, with 1 percent going to the general fund and local law enforcement getting 0.15 percent.
• Increasing the personal income tax across the board, either by assessing a surcharge on tax liability or increasing the tax rate.
But you don’t have to pay the tax increases.
First, if you don’t live in Taxifornia, don’t come here. Take a vacation or get a job somewhere else.
If you live here, then you should make a determined effort to pay to the state fewer taxes this year than last year — legally, of course. It’s simple, really. Just find ways to not pay the taxes.
Some ideas…
How to cut spending
* Avoid the sales tax by buying less stuff. Just buy essentials. Food and medicines are tax-free. Postpone or forget everything else.
* Postpone buying a new car until the taxes drop. You’ll have to pay for parts and repairs on your old flivver, but it still will be less than new car payments.
* Take a vacation in another state. If you planned on going to Yellowstone, instead go to the Grand Canyon. Make sure you fill up your gas tank with cheaper petrol just before you drive back across the Iron Curtain into Taxifornia.
* Fix your own house, car, etc. Prepare your own food. Fix and iron your own clothes.
* Barter with friends. For example, if you’re an accountant, you could prepare taxes for a car mechanic, in return for him fixing your car.
* It’s hard to avoid an income tax increase without accepting pay that’s lower than what you deserve. But you could move to a state with no state income taxes, such as Nevada or Texas, and avoid paying Taxifornia’s record high income taxes.
* Drive less. Instead of driving to a movie, stay home and read a book — or this blog. You’ll also save the high price of the movie — more than $40 for a family of four, plus all the junk food. Instead of driving to a shopping spree, don’t shop at all and save your money (see above).
Time to save, not spend
Of course, the message from the crooks in government is the opposite. They’re ordering us to Spend! Spend! Spend! And because we’re still not spending as much as they want us to, the government is perpetrating one wild spending “stimulus” after another, each worse than the last.
The real problem is that Americans — citizens, businesses, and governments — have spent way too much, paying for it with debt binges. That needs to end.
Citizens need to spend less. Governments needs to spend less and cut tax rates, not raise them. And debt should be reduced, not increased.
You can start by making sure your tax payments this year are less than last year.
Don’t let Gov. Arnold steal and waste any more of your hard-earned money than he already does.
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well done, mr seiler! has any other california pundit got ‘em by the scruff of the neck, giving the con-men such a good shaking? i doubt it.
but can you apply the same advice to countrymen at large? if so, is the answer to emigrate — and not just from california? it may be pretty weird in sacramento, but further away in washington, the inmates are running the asylum! your advice is, as ever, welcome!!
Couldn’t agree with you more! This spending problem is becoming even worse in the younger generations. I am part of that younger generation and I have seen to many people spend themselves into a dark hole thinking there’s nothing wrong.
Not to mention, the more people expect the government to take care of them, the more government will spend and the more we will be taxed. It’s a vicious cycle.