I'm not quite sure what the "teabagging" party is, it's the first I've ever heard of it. (but I've been in a basic media blackout the last week) But in California, its not just about "lowering taxes". Its about the fact that Obama keeps saying that he wants to get rid of tax breaks for people pay intereest on morgatges (thus double taxing people, hello property tax!) and seperatly there is an issue of California being the highest taxed state in the Union with the least amount of benefits going towards the people who pay the taxes. (thus the boston teaparty refrences) It's one thing to help the poor, it's another to make every person who can currently afford a house to become poor themselves! (While giving basically free housing to people who can't afford houses!)

I laughed. I'm guessing things like "SDI" don't mean anything to you.

What does SDI have to do with mortgage taxes?

Nothing, since it's funded by the state's income tax, but Californians have enormous government benefits compared to most of the country. To even imply that your benefits are no better than everyone else's, much less inferior, is distilled ignorance.

Besides, property taxes are already deductable expenses. You can't get double taxed unless you do it wrong.

Ok, maybe I'm not sure what you mean by SDI then, because to me SDI implies anti missle defense systems....

However,

The people who pay the taxes, are not the people who benefit from the taxes.

overcrowded prison populations, close to the lowest education in the U.S., poor public transportation (it will take 2 hours to get someplace that might take 20 minutes by car in every city other than san fransico), over crowded hospitals.

I think the only real benefit I've been able to see from my state taxes (compared to other states who pay far less taxes) is the Community college system in California.

California SDI is state disability insurance ... you must see it on your W2 if you work in California (line 14)! All things considered, SDI is pretty small (comparatively).

Easy solution to solving overcrowded prisons -- decriminalize drugs and, most especially, legalize marijuana!

I like the way you think, Estarra.

Actually, all you have to do is retroactively make drug use a mistermeaner instead of a felony. Most of the people in jail for "marijuana" are really in there because of the three strikes rule, and drug use is on the same level as robbery and murder.

Oh, what's the big deal about SDI then? Sounds like a good thing! However 8 billion dollars to give better health care to prisons, and 7 Billion dollars to build schools that never get finished, or 7 Million dollars spent by the teachers union on consultants is just crazy... and they want to raise taxes even more. It's outlandish!

Over 50% of our budget goes to education, and we are ranked anywhere from 38th to 49th on education charts. Where as other states that pay less taxes than california are ranked from 6th - 20th.

Easier way - more use of the death penalty.

It takes so long in most cases to go from conviction to execution that people spend years on death row.

Putting more people on death row would probably not alleviate the problem and in fact would exacerbate it and cost the state more money than imprisoning them.

I think Acrune is saying put the people to death faster, not onto death row faster... maybe.



Also... I got 1$ back this year, it is framed and on my wall!

I say, give them a trial, if they're found guilty, they... go away. How much does a bullet cost? Bet its cheaper then paying for a lifetime of cable for them

I think they should just turn prisons into a giant game of king of the hill, like at the end of the Movie "The One"