RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

I agree completely. I know many people that have literally managed their income to the point where that have less than $50 each month in cash. Almost their entire income goes to paying installments on credit cards, food, housing and utilities.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

And the 2 major highways that go north and south through the state are toll roads. One is owned by the Garden State Parkway Authority and the other by Prudential Insurance. I seem to recall a time when they said they would remove most of the tolls on the Parkway when the cost was recovered, but thus far, all I've seen are whopping toll increases and traffic jams and the new photo set up for catching toll offenders has massive errors and no means to fight the defect in court. I got one notice I had not paid my toll and had driven at 44 miles per hour through an electronic pass lane when in fact I pay cash and never use any of the lanes on the left side of the toll plazas. Then they show me a crisp clear photo of my license plate but no indication as to what toll booth it was from other than their electronic record. I keep getting that request for $50 and refuse to pay it. I sent them numerous letters telling of the error and also 2 witness statements but they don't listen. Screw them. I refuse to get a EZ-Pass since I've had freinds get bills for thousands of dollars from errors and fraudulent code theft.

Jersey guy Loc: New Joisey

Please, people, how in Heaven's name do we stop this madness? Will it take a Greece catastrophy?

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Thankfully I don't live in New Jersey. I've worked up there for a few two week periods to help out one of our facilities there when I was still working. Didn't have to get on any toll roads to get to the facility from where they put me up though (Mt Holly area)...Did not like the roundabouts for left turns though...Not having to pump my own gas was kinda strange after all these years as well...

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

yea, Jersey has too many "Jersey Shore" types that forget to remove the nozzle after they fill their tank. And the Gas jockey's union makes it so the gas has to be pumped by illegal aliens. LOL. Job growth for the imbacilic and those who know numbers but not english.

DougW Loc: SoCal

Prop 13 came about because people were latterly being taxed out of theft homes and property. Some people were getting taxed more than they could afford to pay as their property tax went up every year based on what the state appraised it at.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

But if you recall some property owners had purchased their estates for a song (dirt cheap) years ago and the cap for property tax increase made them pay far less than the poor guy who bought a 2 bedroom home in Silicon Valley. Then the crash occurred but the assessments remained high unless the whole neighborhood went to court to fight the assessed values. But those huge estates and ranches had small increases since they were never sold and heald in family trusts. No title transfers and thus no huge tax or assessment increases either.

Jimbob49 Loc: SW OH - Dayton area

I'm with you 100%. I lived in Southern CA (Ridgecrest) while in the service and later in Redlands for a few years when Prop 13 was approved. The answer is not more taxes. If states would live within their means (and have a general fund for emergencies) they could manage. Some years you're on budget others you're not that's life. Higher tax rates only drive folks away - then what do you have?.... less. Life isn't fair and never has been and as long as we have folks in office trying to make it fair nothing will be solved.

proteus1 Loc: NEVADA

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Yea and they all come East over the mountains and try to destroy Nevada.....

esqrich

CA has to stop the increase in spending....a $100 billion train to nowhere between Merced and Bakersfield!!! This is sheer stupidity.

"Socialism always works until you run out of other peoples' money to spend."

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

What ever happened to the high speed train between Frisco and SanDiego? Did they trash that idea? At least that would have potential to be profitable.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Brilliant, that should certainly stimulate growth and help to bring industry back to California. 8-)

DougW Loc: SoCal

The problem was you were charged the taxes for that years assessment . That was where the 1% rise was part of 13 until you sold tan the prop WS reassessed for the sale price.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

I got out of California before all of this madness. You are right about the 1% cap until the sale of property caused reassessment at the sale or market value and the property was determined by either deed of sale or if sold under market value, it would be raised to the market value. And then next owner got a huge annual property tax bill.

California...nice place to visit but unless you have money to burn, visit is about the extent of it until it falls away from the continent. Then they will probably declare war against the US after ceseading from the union and after surrender, they will request foreign aid and disaster releif. LOL

DougW Loc: SoCal

Should be 2 states here. Bay area and then the rest of us.