We are being robbed by the government, whether you believe it or not. Should that really be such a big surprise! In 2004, 79 cents of every dollar we (taxpayers) spent went back to the state in spending. In other words, there was a $51 billion shortfall, which is the largest in the country, according to the California Institute of Policy Research.
Here's how our money is being stolen. Some states, like Alabama, Virginia, and Maryland, get back more than they give. How does that work, anyway? The government takes California tax money and sends it to other states. This is how federal salaries and highways are paid for.
This year, there is a proposal for a $37 billion state bond that will be on the ballot in November. This money would go toward highways, parks, schools, and a number of other things. It seems like a fair deal, as long as our wise and wonderful leaders in Washington D.C. divide the money fairly. Some people in California think that the money we pay in taxes should be spent on other things in the state. Fabian Nunez, the speaker of the Democratic Assembly, thinks that President Bush treats our great state like an ATM. We put money in, and he takes it out. Our taxes should be put toward health care, education, and keeping our country safe. All of these things are very important and need to be fixed in California. Nunez thinks that if the money is there, California should get what it is owed. This would help California's finances a lot to get back on track.
As of right now, California has the biggest shortfall in total dollars of any state in the U.S. Are there any unfair things going on here? When people in Washington, D.C. talk about California, they say "ABC," which stands for "Anywhere But California." Here is where tax politics start to get a little harder to understand. California lost out when more money went to the state's defence and the aerospace industry than to the military. A lot of the money we get comes from formulas that don't help us.
The average age of people in California is lower than the average age in other states. This means that California makes more money than other states. California has become a state that gives money to Social Security, but it doesn't have enough money for welfare. We (the people of California) are in a hole either way. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both of whom are Democrats from California, have some ideas of their own. They think that if Democrats win one or both houses in the November election, there could be a change in how California's taxes are divided. They have also said that they should be able to find a way to get a dollar or two from their colleagues and then get the States Congressional Delegation to back them.
