As you may already know, my state, the Golden State of CA, has a JILLION DOLLAR budget shortfall. Or, okay, more accurately, if you insist on getting all technical, fine: $42 billion. But, yippyskip, today our state legislature passed a brand new budget starring: Taxes taxes taxes! Weeeee!
Here is what I, as a Californian, get to partake in now:
~ A 1% increase in the state sales tax to 9.25%.
~ An increase in state income tax by .25%.
~ A doubling of the vehicle licensing fees.
~ But, phew, they opted to drop the whole 12-cents-a-gallon gas tax.
Huzzah! We’re saved!
Uhm, yeah, so which of you is gonna let us come and live in your basement?
Step up, Crackie.
When I screw up my finances, I have to stop spending money. Businesses go bankrupt. Only the government gets to spend more and take more to try and fix their problem (dig a deeper hole). In the real world, that would be like a bookstore grabbing people walking by on the sidewalk, empty their wallets and purses, shoving them an armful of books they don’t want, and pushing them back out the door again, legally.
At this point, Patrick, there aren’t even any books involved… just grabbing and emptying and shoving. They’re in for a treat when the wallets are empty pre-grab. (I suppose that will be our fault, somehow.)
Tracey, you and MB could come bunk down here – we’d even let you stay upstairs where we have things like heat and running water – but since we live in New Jersey, the state gummint is just as bughouse crazy as Cali. We’d could joint-snark Idol, but otherwise?
I don’t actually live in the second most depressing city in the U.S., just right next to it. I’ve a big room over the garage if you want to put up with crushing poverty and one of the highest crime rates in the country. Oh, never mind.
To be honest, the crime here in the “greater” Memphis area is pretty centralized, but there’s enough of it to skew the numbers for the entire county. Yikes.
End of May, the daughter’s out-grown house around the corner that they’re renting to cousins will be empty.
State sales tax is still 8.25. No state income tax.
You’re already used to illegal aliens.
I’m putting in a big garden- free veggies!
You’d be just down the road from GradDaz, too!
So…Texas?
Our crazy governor did this thing when we didn’t have enough money–he cut spending. I was like, are you mad?? That’s not the proper way to do things!
Anyway, as long as you don’t mind three cats and a dog being all up in your business, you can come here. We don’t have a basement, but we do have a spare bedroom. Or a crawl space, whichever you prefer. Wait until we buy the house, though, so the landlord doesn’t get all buggery over the whole not-on-the-lease thing.
Idaho’s nice.
I’d invite you, except I have only a crawl space – no basement.
And our local sales tax is 9.25%, even including groceries. Because a couple years ago people voted that in for a new sports center that turned out to be Not As Advertised, but we still have to pay for it for the next 25 years.
I’m just waiting to see what “user fee” they think up this year. I’m betting it will be “oxygen.”
Have a spare bedroom here in Bush, LA, too. Not much in the way of nightlife, though. We lives miles from nowhere. We’re pretty dull compared to those east and west coasters. Actually, we’re pretty dull … PERIOD.
I am so glad we left California when we did. I feel bad for our Southern neighbors. That’s a big kick in the pants. If you ever want to come up to the Portland area we’ll rearrange space for ya!
By the way – I was shocked last summer when I went back to Chicago and they’re sales tax was over 10%! That’s huge for us Oregonians who don’t have a sales tax (yet).
Ooopps! Grammar error! They’re should be their. We’re struggling with grammar in our house!
9.25%. . . I can’t even imagine. It’s still 6% here (and most clothing/food exempt), and it’s 7% when I shop in Philly–won’t be surprised if that goes up again. Oh, I wish I had even a spare closet for you. But if you came to PA I would make you dinner as often as possible.
Aw. You guys are so nice! Of course, you know I was kidding, but you guys are the best!
NF — Snarking Idol together would be awesome! And also getting to manhandle The Official Puppy.
Cullen — I didn’t know that about Memphis, the crime rate. I’m ignernt.
Sal — /You’re already used to illegal aliens./
Oh, true dat. And our local Fox TV station now has commercials in Spanish. Uhm, hello? Er, hola? Can we pass something please that makes English the official language of this country?
I didn’t know you lived down the street from GraD! How fun!
ricki — You’re 9.25%, too! ACK! And here I was moaning like we’re the only ones. I am a baby.
sarahk — Well, at least you know what we’d be talking about all the time. A certain someone with butterscotch eyes. Or maybe someone’s novel.
Rob — /Actually, we’re pretty dull … PERIOD./ Hahahahaha. I REFUSE to believe that!
Kathi — Well, you know what? Portland is on our list of possibilities, actually, if we move outta this place at some point.
Kate P — And I would contribute regular cupcakes. I make a mean c’cake, dawg. 😉
come up, come up, to God’s country. Were the air is thin, and the skies are blue. Oh and in our little slice of Colorado, (we live in an unincorporated part of our county)…..sales tax rate 3.9%.
It is the Best Place to Live. shhhhh don’t tell anyone.
CV — Sorry. For some reason, I couldn’t get it to post with the link in it. Wha?? So I had to take it out.
I do love me some Colorado, too. Lived in Colorado Springs in the early ’80s. Of course a lot of my memories are all “through the eyes of a child” kind of things, but I’ve been back a few times and enjoy it.
I don’t have a spare bedroom, but there are several empty dorm rooms in my hallway. 🙂 You could push a couple of the twin beds together, plus you’ve got utilities, internet, cable (at the end of the hall) and built in neighbors for under $600/month!
Um, but it’s in Minnesota and you would probably have to buy a coat… 🙂
Katie — Yep. I would definitely have to cave and buy a coat.
Well obviously it wouldn’t help to offer a place in my house, because I’m going to be paying those hyped up taxes along side you. SOMEONE has to pay for the octuplets.
CO and I were discussing converting our family room to an old fashioned bunk house. Get rid of all the furniture and line up some cots. We’d have to install some camp showers and porta potties in the back yard, but with my parents, his mom, his two brothers-in-law, and our oldest son being unemployed, it doesn’t seem all far fetched. Sad, but true.