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For Those in California...

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Remember the tax rate was raised a penny today (1 Apr 2009) to 9.25% so be prepared to pay extra now. I guess that means even more internet shopping for large purchases for me!
 
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Oxide Blu

Guest
I think the state sales tax is actually raised to 6%. All of the other sales tax on top of it is local (county) sales taxes lumped on top. Depending on where you are in the state, you'll pay between 8.75 and 10% sales tax -- I think.

For those in California -- Run! Save yourself! GET OUT!
 

LJL

New member
And if you do business in California, do not forget to charge and collect that extra sales tax, as you will have to pay it for your business also. It can be a real pain trying to keep up with the varying taxes (state, county, municipal, etc.), as they change with adoption or expiration of bond issues, etc.

LJ
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
And on another note... If you are a business and do buy your gear out of state or online, it is not deductible on your state tax return UNLESS you can show you paid CA sales tax on it!

If you or I ran our businesses like that, we'd be jailed for fraud or usury, maybe both...
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
you wonder why i am in AZ. Sorry folks i am down to one arm typing today. i can't get the left arm up to type so no caps today. blah
 

LJL

New member
And on another note... If you are a business and do buy your gear out of state or online, it is not deductible on your state tax return UNLESS you can show you paid CA sales tax on it!

If you or I ran our businesses like that, we'd be jailed for fraud or usury, maybe both...
Are you talking about not being able to deduct sales tax (which you may not have paid from out of state/online purchase), or not being able to list and amortize things on your taxes (Federal and State)?

Here in Texas, where we do not have a state income tax, but fairly hefty sales taxes (6.25% state + any local adds), if you are a registered business (have a state sales tax identification number), you are tax exempt on most items related to the "manufacturing" of your product. (Photography used to fall under either consulting or manufacturing type businesses, but now it is under manufacturing.) So equipment used to manufacture (camera gear, lighting, printers, papers, inks, etc.) are tax exempt, but stuff that gets resold to the consumer is not (things like picture folders, and other stuff), and you must collect sales taxes on those things with sales.

As you say, Jack, things have gotten so convoluted that it is near impossible to keep track of things sometimes. My accountant keeps telling me to keep things clear and simple....charge full sales tax on anything I sell in state, and nothing for stuff sold and shipped out of state. Problem is that even "consulting" work and stuff is now taxed. So sitting fees, processing times, and all that other stuff is now taxable, where is did not used to be before. And, one has to constantly fill out forms for state record keeping on any business purchases made in state. A real pain, but saving the 8.25% tax for things I buy locally helps....but I have to file state sales tax info on the business yearly. The good part is that I can support local businesses if they have what I need, so that helps keep them running too.

LJ
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Are you talking about not being able to deduct sales tax (which you may not have paid from out of state/online purchase), or not being able to list and amortize things on your taxes (Federal and State)?
Oh. We "lost" the state deduction for sales tax several years back. So not only can't we deduct it directly any more, you cannot amortize a piece of equipment unless you can show you paid sales tax on it. However, the total price paid for a piece of business equipment, including the sales tax can be amortized.

Yes, it totally sucks to live in a welfare state, especially when you are one of the minority of productive residents...
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Yes, it totally sucks to live in a welfare state, especially when you are one of the minority of productive residents...
Hence why I was VERY apprehensive to move here from Texas. My job pretty much made me though. I like the state scenery and weather. I could go without the mismanagement of funds. I'm sure everyone has heard "stories" on TV and whatnot and I have my fair share of second hand experience.
 
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Oxide Blu

Guest
I remember the first time I went to Paris -- "what a beautiful city! If only we could get the French to leave." That's how I feel about California, now -- it is a beautiful state, if only we could get the lib-tards to leave. I'm not holding my breath, the French still occupy Paris. :D
 

ChrisDauer

Workshop Member
Might I recommend New Zealand. It totally reminded me of CA in the early to mid 1980s. Not a ton of people. Traffic's not really an issue. It's got all the natural beauty you'd ever want. And I can't imagine their taxes are any worse than ours?

When I go to spend the last few dollars I earned in '08; to cover all taxes, I get less than $.33 per $1.00 dollar made.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
it is a question of what you get for the tax you pay, and whether or not you end up paying for things via some other method.

In new york we pay an 8.25% sales tax on top of state and city income tax, neither of which allow the same income and business expense exclusions allowed by the federal government
We have ****ty road surface quality (try riding your motorcycle on the BQE, for those out here, and it is alway that way) and toll roads compared to CA. the Brooklyn Bridge has not been painted in the 30 years I have been here (the Golden Gate gets re-coated constantly) and parking tickets in NYC range from $65 for meter violation to $110 for double parking.
 

stephengilbert

Active member
Without taking sides, I wonder if it's really productive for members here to suggest that people they disagree with ("lib-tards" or anyone else) should move away. I'm sure we all would like to stop government from wasting our money; too bad we can't agree on the definition of "waste."
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I remember the first time I went to Paris -- "what a beautiful city! If only we could get the French to leave." That's how I feel about California, now -- it is a beautiful state, if only we could get the lib-tards to leave. I'm not holding my breath, the French still occupy Paris. :D
A city is not a collection of building. It is the culture and people living in it that make Paris the lovely city that it is.
 
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Oxide Blu

Guest
... the Brooklyn Bridge has not been painted in the 30 years I have been here (the Golden Gate gets re-coated constantly) ...

It's a popular urban myth. The GG bridge is only touched up as needed. In its history, it has never been perpetually painted.

There was a program going back to the late 60's that involved removing the original paint and replacing it was modern zinc based primer and contemporary paint to better insulate the bridge from electrolyte (sea air) that is causing the bridge to evaporate. That project took 25-years, or so.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
Paris, France, I've never been to Paris, Texas. I've been to Paris, France many times and look forward to getting back there this year after the tourists leave in the Fall.
 
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ddk

Guest
it is a question of what you get for the tax you pay, and whether or not you end up paying for things via some other method.

In new york we pay an 8.25% sales tax on top of state and city income tax, neither of which allow the same income and business expense exclusions allowed by the federal government
We have ****ty road surface quality (try riding your motorcycle on the BQE, for those out here, and it is alway that way) and toll roads compared to CA. the Brooklyn Bridge has not been painted in the 30 years I have been here (the Golden Gate gets re-coated constantly) and parking tickets in NYC range from $65 for meter violation to $110 for double parking.
Lets not forget about $42 plus tax for 2 hours of parking in a lot, that you're forced to use since they took away most of the street parking privileges here. 13k a year for nursery schools, and some of the most expensive but among the worst public schools in the nation. Now imagine being taxed more and paying more for the same crud so the our government can expand its socialist agenda, hmmm wonderful.
 

Terry

New member
So, living in both high tax states....and for a while having taxes withheld in both (ouch) there are some good things that I can say about California.

Great state university system that is not expensive if you are a resident
CLIMATE!!!!!
Natural beauty - but at a cost to clean up from disasters (fire, slides, quakes)
Environmentally conscious - no plastic bags in SF food markets and people really do bring their own bags more often than not

I'll have to think up the NY positives....hmmmmm
 
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wbrandsma

Guest
That sounds tough for you folks in California. We have 19% sales tax and income dependent taxes between 35% and 52% in the Netherlands. But then there should be a really good reason to legalize drugs and prostitution here :ROTFL:
 
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