California rockets into first place – highest sales tax in America, as of April 1st.

Photo above - Foreign visitors have vowed to cancel trips to the USA. Thank goodness . . . I'd be ashamed to have them see this - Main Street, Los Angeles California. Don't worry, higher taxes will fix this, right?

How much is too much, when it comes to sales tax? There’s a new champ in town. Forget New Jersey’s 6.625%, New York’s 8.875% and Seattle’s citywide 10.35%. California leapfrogged them. The tax everywhere in California will be over 9%. In some locations it will be 11.25%. See link below.

What’s with all the decimal positions? Do politicians think that 8.875% is misread as only 8% by high school grads who have 5th grade math skills? Those tax rates look shadier than the fine print on a car loan or mortgage contract.

Imagine shopping where there’s an 11.25% sales tax. You’re paying about double what Social Security withholding takes out of your paycheck. Just for the necessities of life. Of course, you can always sell your car, eat from the food bank, and shop at Goodwill if the new taxes are unbearable.

In case you want to figure out what the tax hikes apply to, and how much they went up on various types of purchases, you might need a college degree in math. There are different rates for groceries, gasoline, clothing, dining out. And they all went up. All of them.

The extra tax money is going to be used to “fight homelessness”. Well, not all of it of course. 60% of the haul will be used to fight homelessness. The other 40%? It’s disappearing down the spending rabbit hole. But California shoppers will hear “homeless” and feel good about those higher taxes, right? Imagine their chagrin next year when there as many, if not more, people living in tents on Los Angeles' sidewalks. “Where did the 60% of the100% of those higher taxes go?” some wise guys will ask. The state’s politicians will remind everyone that fixing this stuff takes time. They’ve been working on for more than a decade already. It should start getting better any year now . . .

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Millions of shoppers forced to pay new fee on groceries and goods under April 1 law and they're not happy about reason | The US Sun

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exchrist · 31-35 Best Comment

The solution to homeless ness is not higher taxes or higher wage it is lower rent and housing cost. Lower cost of groceries and a forced retirement age ( +5% income tax for each year over 65 or whatever retirement age is) with increased income tax as workers age past retirement age; while a person is working post retirement age.
Example DJT at age 78 would pay (78-65)*5=65% of his take home earnings (what remained after already paying standard income tax) to taxes if he chooses to not retire and exit the workforce).
People that are over retirment age are holding up tax paying (salaried jobs) and the associated tax revenue. Already raised their kids own their house paid off the car escaped as many taxes as possible and now wont retire. Its DJT syndrome and to avoid prison!
Rather than an increasing tax on people as they work beyond the age of retirement. These post retirement age politicains increase sales tax on the worker making the cost of living increase for everyone; while lowering quality of life; especially for those not already established in a career.
We need new strategies. New politicians and lower taxes.
Instead FOR NOW we are stuck with the same OLD.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@exchrist upvoted and marked as best comment.

housing prices can be reduced by less restrictive zoning, which wealthy communities to keep apartments townhouses out of sight.

mandatory retirement should apply to every job which involves

1 - operation of bus or other motor vehicle carrying paying passengers

2 - airline pilots

3 - commercial drivers and pilots (cargo, 18 wheelers, container ships, trains)

4 - elective office (no more politicians until death)

if you want to keep busy in retirement, you can garden, paint, write, play a musical instrument or go fishing.

exchrist · 31-35

@SusanInFlorida yes absolutely maximum age if not "forced retirement" 5 years over retirement max after 2 years over retirement age 50% of retirement payments will be suspended for the number of years worked beyond age 65.
Some exceptions for training and if retirees are brought back due to staff shortage.