One more reason to leave California

[drswift]

In '09 my DMV registration fees for my '04 RT were $91. This year's fees for the older bike: up 18% to $107.

 

 

[mbelectric]

Hmmmm......

 

I remember a time ago when an elected official said he wouldn't raise reg fees....

 

Guess he didn't keep a promise..

 

I feel your pain. 4 bikes 2 cars and one truck.

 

And still driving over the same potholes.

 

But wait, Fed money will fix the roads.

 

MB>

[drswift]

Obviously you didn't see the picture of boney's damaged rim from the Golden Gate Bridge! So much for road repairs.

[bimmers]

Sounds too cheap for CA. Even us here in the SE pay more for our bikes and cars etc.

you have a good deal with all the nice roads and no money for LEO, hmmmmmmmm

 

h

[cali_beemer]

I can relate. My 2005 dodge ram truck registration went from the mid 300's to 500 dollars last year. I havent seen the bike registration yet this year but I have 2 cars, a bike and a boat with trailer. You think the registration is a crime, try owning a boat. Registration for the trailer, the boat and because our state is so nice I get to pay a property tax as well.

[russell_bynum]

In '09 my DMV registration fees for my '04 RT were $91. This year's fees for the older bike: up 18% to $107.

 

 

Yup.

 

Don't forget that when election time comes.

[tallman]

Ours went up waaay more than that %.

All fees related to licensing and tagging went waaay up.

Fishing licenses too.

Loud lures save lives.

[BanjoBoy]

In '09 my DMV registration fees for my '04 RT were $91. This year's fees for the older bike: up 18% to $107.

 

 

Yup.

 

Don't forget that when election time comes.

Yeah but...

We keep vote'in out the bad, and all we get is more of the same?

Why don't you run for Governor Russell?

I recently purchased an '07 FJR from out of state, and paid $740 to register the thing. Then another $650 for a years worth of insurance!

[rad]

Geeeeeeze

 

 

I love it when people leave my state; I wish more would

[motoguy128]

I didn't no your guys had cold enough weather for pot holes. It usually requires that weird event in nature when water is colled below 32F that scientists refer to as freezing.

 

In Iowa, pot holes aren't a problem, as long as there is a path that can be navigated by turning the road into a slalom course, utilizing both lanes. When the holes are staggered such that no evasive action can prevent any wheel from entering a hole, then the road needs repair.

 

In Michigan, pot holes aren't repaired until you're reached at least the 3rd layer of pavement, our you can no longer travel at the standard crusing speed of 20mph over the speed limit while swerving to miss them. Pot holes are expecially enjoyable when they are on 5 lane interstates. However, if you travel at 80mph, you can usually clear the hole without your wheel haivng time to drop into the hole.

 

 

What suprised me, is that my registration in Iowa with newer vehciles is higher than it was in the People's Republic of Illinois. We're paying about $550 for 2 newer cars, 1 motorcycle and 1 utlity trailer.

 

[beemerboy]

In '09 my DMV registration fees for my '04 RT were $91. This year's fees for the older bike: up 18% to $107.

 

 

Don't come here then. CO jacked up its rates about a year ago and my '02 RT went up $30 and my 4'x8' 200# utility trailer went from $11 a year to $37.

[Kathy R]

I just sent NY $17 for the wee

Hard to believe this has escaped their view

[baggerchris]

I was born here as was my wife. ( I'm 62 )

 

We love the weather and where we live way out in the mountains.

 

That's about it. We pretty much dislike everything else.

 

When my wife retires, we will most probably move somewhere else.

 

No other comments as they would only tend to P*ss someone off.

[upflying]

While doing my taxes recently, I was again reminded I pay California income taxes.

By simply moving to a state without state income taxes, I can increase my income by 10%.

[Dave McReynolds]

By simply moving to a state without state income taxes, I can increase my income by 10%.

 

So long as you can earn as high an income in that other state as you do in California, and so long as the increased property taxes in that other state don't offset your reduction in income taxes.

[Paul Mihalka]

"By simply moving to a state without state income taxes, I can increase my income by 10%."

If there is no state income tax, they'll get you in some other way. Higher sales tax, higher real estate tax, whatever. States have to get their money one way or another.

[CoarsegoldKid]

I recently purchased an '07 FJR from out of state, and paid $740 to register the thing. Then another $650 for a years worth of insurance! [/color]

I bought an '07 S2R1000 DUCATI recently paid transfer fees and a new years worth of registration at the same time for only 380. Insurance was only 460 for full coverage. I can't complain most of the time as I can't see the dirt under the pavement. But the roads sure are lumpy.

On the other hand:

Who you gonna vote for? The next guy isn't going to get the fix either because there aren't enough Independents. Too much polarization freezes the pond. I'd like to see a balanced budget without a tax increase but I don't believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy. If I don't shut up I'll get banned. Cheers.

 

[Dennis Andress]

California did this before in the early 80's. I was appalled when my bike registration went from less then $20 to something like $45.

 

Seems like that was just a few years after Prop 13 passed. Sounds like we cut off one source of money, yet still let them take what they wanted from somewhere else. When will we learn.

[russell_bynum]

In '09 my DMV registration fees for my '04 RT were $91. This year's fees for the older bike: up 18% to $107.

 

 

Yup.

 

Don't forget that when election time comes.

Yeah but...

We keep vote'in out the bad, and all we get is more of the same?

Why don't you run for Governor Russell?

I recently purchased an '07 FJR from out of state, and paid $740 to register the thing. Then another $650 for a years worth of insurance!

 

Governor is only a small part of the equation. The Legislature is where all this stuff comes from...and most of them were re-elected. The Governor only has the power to sign or veto what they send him/her.

[russell_bynum]

"By simply moving to a state without state income taxes, I can increase my income by 10%."

If there is no state income tax, they'll get you in some other way. Higher sales tax, higher real estate tax, whatever. States have to get their money one way or another.

 

You are forgetting the other option: If the state spends less, they can tax less.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

2 comments.

 

My 1974 Vespa was $37 dollars last year. It was $75 this year.

 

We've got to eliminate cut-outs and the initiative process.

 

Oh, and re-draw the district lines to eliminate gerrymandering.

[cali_beemer]

 

You are forgetting the other option: If the state spends less, they can tax less.

 

There in lies Californias problem. Thye havent figured out the spending part.

[Albert]

Oh, and re-draw the district lines to eliminate gerrymandering.

 

???? OK I'm confused.

[pbbeck]

We should start a thread that lists the reasons to leave California. I'm not sure the servers can handle it!

 

I haven't yet received my reg renewal for the GT this year, but my brother's '05 Harley registration doubled from last year. It now costs more to register than when it was new. His '06 GT registration increased 75% this year over last.

 

All those tax revenues, and I just received a f---ing layoff notice from my f---ing school district with 10 years in. I'm most definitely leaving this awful state.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

Sorry to hear about your bad news. Hope things pick up somehow. If you start to think seriously of leaving, this might give you some leads of state(s) with more reasonable tax structures, although I'm not sure any of them can be called reasonable.

 

http://www.retirementliving.com/tax_burden_2008.pdf

[T.M. Roe]

 

Grow a garden kids

 

Its gonna get a bit bumpy

[lawnchairboy]

yes, it will certainly help the tax revenue deficit situation.

[marcopolo]

Are the registration fees in California simply for the privilege of affixing the sticker to your plate? Is anything else included in that fee?

 

Costs me $42 CDN to register my motorcycle in Ontario ($21 if I lived in northern Ontario). That said, I suspect I pay a lot more for bike insurance than south of the border (at least that's the impression I get from reading some of the posts). Bit of a mugs game comparing fees/taxes from one jurisdiction to another.

[mbelectric]

Everyone's bitchin' about taxes.

 

It's just that when I pay taxes and don't receive the services I feel should be provided (like fixin' potholes) , THEN I get pissed. Especially when I bend a rim on the 90S.

 

What's wrong here? We used to have the best of the best. It's gone now.

 

Yea, lets lower taxes even more and see what happens...It just ain't that easy folks.

 

MB>

 

 

[cali_beemer]

Everyone's bitchin' about taxes.

 

It's just that when I pay taxes and don't receive the services I feel should be provided (like fixin' potholes) , THEN I get pissed. Especially when I bend a rim on the 90S.

 

What's wrong here? We used to have the best of the best. It's gone now.

 

Yea, lets lower taxes even more and see what happens...It just ain't that easy folks.

 

MB>

 

 

It sort of is. The government and especially this state in specific have forgot what the government role is. There is a feeling of entitlement and the government jsut keeps adding programs to fulfill this entitlement. If you scaled back all of these programs and made people responsible for their own lives and had the government focus strictly on the items a government is for, we wouldnt be in this mess. When our state has the ratio of state emplyees relative to private sector as it currently does, it should bring some awareness. Unfortunately, they just raise taxes to pay for more when in reality we should be scaling back. I love Winston Churchills quote of, "for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle".

 

 

 

 

[WURTY]

I took my retirement money and Left California.

I don't agree with the way that State spends my money.

In my new hometown my 05 Dodge Ram Diesel license is about 80 bucks for 2 years.

 

For about 350 dollars I registered 2 trailers 3 dirtbikes and 2 street bikes and 2 cars for 2 years.

[BanjoBoy]

I didn't no your guys had cold enough weather for pot holes. It usually requires that weird event in nature when water is colled below 32F that scientists refer to as freezing.

 

In Iowa, pot holes aren't a problem, as long as there is a path that can be navigated by turning the road into a slalom course, utilizing both lanes. When the holes are staggered such that no evasive action can prevent any wheel from entering a hole, then the road needs repair.

 

In Michigan, pot holes aren't repaired until you're reached at least the 3rd layer of pavement, our you can no longer travel at the standard crusing speed of 20mph over the speed limit while swerving to miss them. Pot holes are expecially enjoyable when they are on 5 lane interstates. However, if you travel at 80mph, you can usually clear the hole without your wheel haivng time to drop into the hole.

 

 

What suprised me, is that my registration in Iowa with newer vehciles is higher than it was in the People's Republic of Illinois. We're paying about $550 for 2 newer cars, 1 motorcycle and 1 utlity trailer.

Oh we got potholes! A feller on a HD hit a big one (On HWY 101) went into a tank slapper, bailed, then got run over by a semi. That's down right criminal!

The thing that gets me, for the 35 years I've been in the work force, I see all my local, state, and fed taxes shooting up, while all services are being cut. (Thanks for rubbing it in WURTY)

California is a failed state. We pay the most, get the least, and have the highest dept.

At least now I know why; here's a typical CA pothole re-construction project...

 

 

[Paul Mihalka]

[VinnyR11]

Now THAT is funny.

 

Sadly too true, but funny.

[John Ranalletta]

The picture leaves out the most important characters:

 

• Immigration officer
• Union steward writing a grievance
  
• Federal grant auditor (likely the work was done with fed grant $)
• Federal wage and hour inspector
• OFFCP officer (if Jose is the only minority on this job, watch out). Oh, I don't see any females, Orientals or disabled on this crew as well.

Of course, what's not shown are the 11 government vehicles that these people drove to the scene.

 

If you live in California or a handful of others states like Illinois and you are due a state tax refund for last year, go fish!

 

[pbbeck]

 

Banjoboy... I just had surgery two days ago. Your post nearly caused me to split open my stitches. I have to be more careful reading these threads!

[upflying]

All of those guys "working" on the pothole are in violation of OSHA safety rules. No hard hats, no safety glasses and no orange safety vests. Let's add a hefty fine for the workplace safety violation.

[DMilan]

Sort of related..

 

Here in Cleveland Ohio we have a new Trash Collection Fee.

 

Trash collection is a minicipal service and has always been paid for out of, I'm not exactly sure, either a residents income tax paid to the city, currently 2%, or, perhaps a portion of a residents property tax which is paid to the county.

 

Now, thanks to some mmm.... frisky fiscal exercises conceived in the Empire State, and apparently blessed in the District of Columbia we have A Great Recession which includes a housing value collapse.

 

As a result, property tax collections and income tax colletions went down. Compounded of course by the fact that people are fleeing the city, if they have the means to do so.

 

Meanwhile, even though there are less folks to service, the need for revenue just keeps on a climbing...

 

What to do. Here's the California Connection.

 

Our Mayor hires a consulting firm from the Great Nation State for the bargain price of a mere 3/4 million USD prox to help solve the funding problem. Chump change, I know.

 

One of their suggestions is immediately seized upon. AHHH A trash Collection fee. There is no reduction in ones tax bill. There is no one taken off the City's Payroll. There is no new service vendor. Just an unvoted tax increase. Net result, although my property has been lowered in value, I'm paying more in taxes.

No big deal... $8.00 per month.. oppps, wait I own a duplex, so it's x 2. Annually.. $192.00

Thanks CoLLifornia.

 

Most folks 'round here won't notice till they get their first bill. Too busy cashing food stamps, buying lottery tickets and watching basketball games.

 

 

 

 

[Dave McReynolds]

No big deal... $8.00 per month.

 

Beware of what happens when the camel's nose gets inside the tent. For years, my trash bill was about $80/mo here is Sacramento. Then, 2-3 years ago, it started rising, and now is $133/mo for 3 cans, which are the minimum we can have, for garbage, recycling, and green waste. If you want extra cans, you pay more, of course.

 

Since any increases in "taxes" are hard to push through in CA due to the 2/3 majority requirement, user fees of all kinds are being pushed to the max. I understand that there are about $30,000 of fees tacked on to each new house built, which is okay, I guess, since there is no great demand for new houses right now, until the backlog of repo's gets absorbed.

 

It doesn't particularly bother me that people are moving away from California, since I think we have too many people here anyway, but it is a concern that a disproportionate share of those moving away are those who paid a disproportionate share of the state's taxes when they were here.

[russell_bynum]

It doesn't particularly bother me that people are moving away from California, since I think we have too many people here anyway, but it is a concern that a disproportionate share of those moving away are those who paid a disproportionate share of the state's taxes when they were here.

 

Which is, of course, the reason they left in the first place.

[upflying]

Since trash collection fees are so high in Ca and spreading nationwide, enterprising young business entrepreneurs (who no doubt pay hefty business taxes) are cruising neighborhoods with old pickups equipped with raised 4x8 plywood siding. They are soliciting residents who are upset over the high garbage collection fees. For a small donation of about $10, these folks will collect your garbage and load it into their pickup truck. All they ask is you place your garbage in a black plastic trash bag. After getting a full truck of about 20 customers, they dump their load at the local transfer station for $20. Neat $180 gross profit..probably net profit as well.

Yes, most communities require each address to have garbage collection service from a contracted provider such as Waste Management . Enforcing the requirement is another matter.

[russell_bynum]

Since trash collection fees are so high in Ca and spreading nationwide, enterprising young business entrepreneurs (who no doubt pay hefty business taxes) are cruising neighborhoods with old pickups equipped with raised 4x8 plywood siding. They are soliciting residents who are upset over the high garbage collection fees. For a small donation of about $10, these folks will collect your garbage and load it into their pickup truck. After getting a full truck of about 20 customers, they dump their load at the local transfer station for $20. Neat $180 gross profit..probably net profit as well.

Yes, most communities require each address to have garbage collection service from a contracted provider such as Waste Management . Enforcing the requirement is another matter.

 

Hell...even one family at a time it would be cheaper to drive it up to the dump on your own.

 

...which should tell you something about the efficiency of the trash collection agencies.

 

Then again...when you're a government-mandated monopoly, what's the point in trying to be efficient?

 

 

[Dave McReynolds]

It doesn't particularly bother me that people are moving away from California, since I think we have too many people here anyway, but it is a concern that a disproportionate share of those moving away are those who paid a disproportionate share of the state's taxes when they were here.

 

Which is, of course, the reason they left in the first place.

 

Not entirely. People tend to look at their bottom-line income and living conditions. If a prison guard is able to make $125,000 per year in California, pays $20,000-25,000 in federal and CA taxes, and nets $100,000, he will be unlikely to want to swap that for a prison guard job in Texas paying $40,000. The same would be true of any other person making $125,000 per year who wouldn't be able to make as much in another state, net after taxes.

 

Retired people can generally go wherever they want without reducing their income, so for them to want to stay in California, the value of the living conditions here would have to exceed whatever additional costs they might have. They might just stay here anyway, out of inertia, but they would be paying a price for it.

 

So what it comes down to is that California can get away with charging as high taxes as it wants, so long as employment and business opportunities are even higher. When that equation doesn't hold, people leave.

[DMilan]

No big deal... $8.00 per month.

 

Beware of what happens when the camel's nose gets inside the tent. For years, my trash bill was about $80/mo here is Sacramento. Then, 2-3 years ago, it started rising, and now is $133/mo for 3 cans, which are the minimum we can have, for garbage, recycling, and green waste. If you want extra cans, you pay more, of course.

 

Since any increases in "taxes" are hard to push through in CA due to the 2/3 majority requirement, user fees of all kinds are being pushed to the max. I understand that there are about $30,000 of fees tacked on to each new house built, which is okay, I guess, since there is no great demand for new houses right now, until the backlog of repo's gets absorbed.

 

It doesn't particularly bother me that people are moving away from California, since I think we have too many people here anyway, but it is a concern that a disproportionate share of those moving away are those who paid a disproportionate share of the state's taxes when they were here.

 

I don't text... but OMG

 

133.00 per mo... That figure is unimaginable here. There would have to be a huge increase in welfare payments to the remaining citizens so they could pay it. Which in turn, according to PAYGO, means that there would have to be other tax/fee increases elsewhere to fund the welfare increase.

 

Many of the remaining Cleveland residents don't yet even know we're in a desert, much less lookin' out for a camel.

The fee was only very quietly mentioned in the local media.

The fee will be added to the quarterly water/sewer bill which has not yet arrived.

HEY WHAT'S THIS???? SURPRISE EVERYBODY!!!!

[russell_bynum]

So what it comes down to is that California can get away with charging as high taxes as it wants, so long as employment and business opportunities are even higher. When that equation doesn't hold, people leave.

 

Yup. And the high taxes and business-hostile environment is also running businesses out as well.

 

I know of a few cases where the business went to Sacramento and tried to work something out. They basically got an enthusiastic "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." from our govt. So now they're based elsewhere and California lost those jobs and that tax revenue.

[Dave39]

No big deal... $8.00 per month.

 

Beware of what happens when the camel's nose gets inside the tent. For years, my trash bill was about $80/mo here is Sacramento. Then, 2-3 years ago, it started rising, and now is $133/mo for 3 cans, which are the minimum we can have, for garbage, recycling, and green waste. If you want extra cans, you pay more, of course.

 

Since any increases in "taxes" are hard to push through in CA due to the 2/3 majority requirement, user fees of all kinds are being pushed to the max. I understand that there are about $30,000 of fees tacked on to each new house built, which is okay, I guess, since there is no great demand for new houses right now, until the backlog of repo's gets absorbed.

 

It doesn't particularly bother me that people are moving away from California, since I think we have too many people here anyway, but it is a concern that a disproportionate share of those moving away are those who paid a disproportionate share of the state's taxes when they were here.

 

OMG. I knew there was a reason I didn't want to live in town. Out here in the boonies 3 miles outside the Sacto city limits the county garbage bill is only $52.78 for two months for two cans....so far.

[upflying]

So what it comes down to is that California can get away with charging as high taxes as it wants, so long as employment and business opportunities are even higher. When that equation doesn't hold, people leave.

 

Yup. And the high taxes and business-hostile environment is also running businesses out as well.

 

I know of a few cases where the business went to Sacramento and tried to work something out. They basically got an enthusiastic "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." from our govt. So now they're based elsewhere and California lost those jobs and that tax revenue.

Reminds me of a restaurant I tried in Yuma AZ called "Cracker Barrel". When I asked why there were no Cracker Barrels in California, I was informed it was too expensive to do business here. Taxes keeping business away, who knew?

[John Ranalletta]

Old news...

Nissan North America is about to announce its decision to move headquarters to Cool Springs, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. Sources close to the company's decision making process have told The Tennessean that the choice as already been made, despite public comments to the contrary from Nissan. Nissan already employs 8,000 people in the state and the headquarter move would bring an additional 1300 jobs. Nissan is currently unhappy with the business climate in California and is looking to cut costs by the move. We've posted before that many of Nissan's employees in California are looking at their employment options as this move was first brought to light. Thanks to James for the tip.

[cali_beemer]

Old news...

Nissan North America is about to announce its decision to move headquarters to Cool Springs, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. Sources close to the company's decision making process have told The Tennessean that the choice as already been made, despite public comments to the contrary from Nissan. Nissan already employs 8,000 people in the state and the headquarter move would bring an additional 1300 jobs. Nissan is currently unhappy with the business climate in California and is looking to cut costs by the move. We've posted before that many of Nissan's employees in California are looking at their employment options as this move was first brought to light. Thanks to James for the tip.

 

Nissa has a pretty big location right here in Sacramento. we have seen plenty of companies move just to Reno Nevada just to get out of the state. Its frustrating to see the state getting so F'ed up.

[Harry_Wilshusen]

All of those guys "working" on the pothole are in violation of OSHA safety rules. No hard hats, no safety glasses and no orange safety vests. Let's add a hefty fine for the workplace safety violation.

 

The state can fine the state there by increasing revenue. Makes perfect bureaucratic sense.

 

Harry