Tax-the-rich measures may cancel each other out

[alp227]

Source: SF Chronicle

The tax-the-rich sentiment behind the Occupy Wall Street movement - and the cash-starved state budget - are reshaping California politics.

Several measures to raise taxes are aimed at the November ballot and most would hit the wallets of the wealthiest Californians.

At least five tax-raising ballot initiatives backed by people with deep pockets are gaining momentum, including one expected to be filed today by Gov. Jerry Brown. However, some supporters worry that the initiatives could be too much of the same thing.

Some of the competing measures are being funded by labor unions and left-leaning groups that typically are political allies. While analysts expect the logjam to thin out, the ballot box cacophony could squander a rare political moment in which Californians are open to raising taxes.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/02/MNIP1M73AA.DTL&ao=all

[county worker]

1. The proposal to reduce taxes across the board and raise sales taxes is designed

to push the tax burden down the economic chain. Poor people who don't pay income tax would have to pay sales taxes on services thus increasing the taxes they pay and increasing the cost of services to them. What little money they have to spend on necessities would be further reduced in order to pay the taxes on services.

Those who can afford to pay income tax will substitute a decrease in income tax for an increase in taxes on services. I don't think their tax burden will increase and may decrease.

[DJ13]

2. +1

There are times I think the liberals here in Ca have been infiltrated by reactionary fiscal conservatives, and that proposed sales tax increase is just the latest example.

[populist3]

3. if its a sales tax they want to raise I agree, unless it is

just on luxury items

who proposed the sales tax increase?

[No Elephants]

5. You just have to smile sometimes.

[Name removed]

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