Which is fairer? An 11% sales tax on everyone, or a progressive income tax?

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Photo above - Los Angeles police, unable to solve local crimes, turn to Detroit police detective Axel Foley for help. Nudie mag publisher Hugh Hefner gives sanctuary to the perps. Would 11% sales tax mean safer streets?

“Your purchase today is $49.99 ma’am. With sales tax of $5.50, that comes to $55.49. Have a nice day, and come again . . . “

If you live in Los Angeles County, you’ve been hearing that a lot recently. The minimum sales tax you pay there is 9%, (state sales tax plus county), and depending on which city or hamlet you’re shopping in, your total sales tax could be over 11%. (See link below).

This, of course, is because people paying income tax are fleeing the state for places like Texas, Florida, or Nevada. About the only place Californians are NOT migrating to is Taxachussets.

California politicians might be catching on to the problem. Realizing that everyone with a car and an income tax bill could someday escape the golden state prison, politicians have pivoted to sales taxes. 3 layers – state, county, and city. Is the thought process here is that people don’t pay attention at the checkout line? Or they will stay rooted in California because they pay no income tax but get a ton of entitlements?

I’m not going to say that theory is wrong. More and more homeless, migrants, and gig workers living in their vans arrive every day.

The 11% sales tax might possibly be related to California having America’s highest shoplifting rate. And police don’t usually respond to shoplifting calls from stores anymore. If shoplifters do get caught, they are immediately released on personal recognizance (no cash bail). Which is a great deal if you have no ID, or live in a van or tent. Shoplifting less than $1,000 is a misdemeanor in California anyway. You’d NEVER be sentenced to prison, even if you showed up for trial. Misdemeanors are crimes like indecent exposure, prostitution, and public drunkenness. Yeah, those perps don’t get arrested and go to prison either. So, shoplifting has been DeFacto legalized in California.

Now here’s the conundrum. Suppose some government official (like Newsom) DID want to start enforcing the laws against shoplifting, porch pirating, and prostitution/public sex in alleys. Defecation on sidewalks. Street corner drug dealing. Well, more police might be needed. And more taxes to pay their salaries and put them in Tesla Model Y and Dodge Charger Pursuit patrol cars and up-armored Chevy Tahoe’s. The police air force might need more helicopters. And the rate of real crimes – arson like the Palisades fire, cartel drug dealing, violent assaults, and murders wouldn’t actually go down. Taxpayers would just pay more to arrest shoplifters and street poopers.

No politician can run for election on a platform of higher taxes to stop shoplifting and street pooping. Voters would cast their ballots for the opponent who is promising higher subsidies for Medi-Cal, food, and housing, of course.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

LA County shoppers stunned by recent 'Measure A' sales tax hike — some now pay over 11%

Pherick · 41-45, M

Yea ... again with the BS.

I think Cali is doing OK.

If California were a country, it would instantly be a global force. It is the largest economy in the U.S. It has the largest military population. It is also the global tech leader with Silicon Valley and it is the largest producer of agricultural products in the U.S.

As the most productive and one of the most influential states in the U.S., California on its own would be a formidable nation.

California’s GDP in 2024 was $4.1T, representing 14% of the total U.S. economy. If California were a country, it would be the 4th largest economy in the world and more productive than Japan and India.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/23/california-is-now-the-4th-largest-economy-in-the-world/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20IMF%27s%202024,high%2Dtech%2C%20and%20agriculture.

https://bulloak.com/blog/if-california-were-a-country/#:~:text=Do%20more%20with%20what%20you,Fargo%2C%20to%20name%20a%20few.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Pherick california also has

- the highest share of america's homeless
- needs to buy most of it's electricity and gasoline from nearby states
- has the highest home prices in the nation
- the highest prison population in the nation
- probably the highest narcotics use in the nation.

if they want to go it alone as a separate country, i wouldn't stand in their way. but i would sell them electricity, gasoline, and narcon kits.

Pherick · 41-45, M

@SusanInFlorida

1. This is sadly true, California has insanely high housing costs, and not a great minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage here would go a long way toward getting people into homes they could afford.
https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-highest-and-lowest-rates-of-homelessness/

2. Not fully true, and not really relevant. California imports between 25-30% of its electricity every year, and I couldn't find any stats for gas. However thats not weird. We are literally split here in the US, 25 states export excess electricity and 25 import more than they generate. So they are certainly not oddballs.
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=46156

3. False. Hawaii has that one all locked up,by a large amount.
https://www.fool.com/money/research/average-house-price-state/

4. False. Texas locks up more!!!
https://www.ppic.org/blog/how-does-the-california-prison-population-compare-to-other-states/

5. False. Not highest in any of the rankings.
https://wallethub.com/edu/drug-use-by-state/35150
https://www.rehab.com/drug-statistics

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