Bill Maher: Conservatives Must Come to California

[JDPriestly]

41. We raised our taxes, raising those on the highest incomes first.

That was done by the people, not by the legislature. It was the result of a referendum, not something imposed by one party or the other.

A lot of rich people settle in California especially on the coasts. Remember, for them, if they hold on to their properties, the property taxes are relatively low, so raising income taxes is fair.

The rich in California outside of Silicon Valley do far too little for our state in terms of employing and paying members of the middle class well. Taxing their incomes is about our only means of evening the playing field. Even in Hollywood, the rich do an increasing amount of their taxable business out of our area. Yet they live here, drive the housing prices out of the roof, send their kids to private schools (thus showing little interest in supporting public schools).

Fortunately, the beaches are public even if rich people own the houses edging them.

The income disparity in California is something you can really feel if you live in Los Angeles or East Los Angeles.