Jump to content

Abbott being Abbott


Mo Horn

Recommended Posts

Just now, Azbadlands said:

Really?  I need to breakdown for you how the government taxes the shit out of the working class in this country in any way that they can?

Yes. I honestly don't see how you can arrive at 60% taxation. 

I'm self-employed and pay around 20-25% in income taxes, which includes a double dip for social security. Say we spent $100K each year (we spend less) and all that was subject to sales tax -- that's $8,250. In reality, it's much lower. Property taxes, which are high in Texas, are about $7,000 for our home.

So if I made $100,000, then I'm hitting a max of 40% (25% + 8.25% + 7%) of my income in taxes. Fortunately, we're doing better and our total tax rate is lower.

I guess if you owned an expensive home and made a modest amount of income, that could do it, but I think that's a rare case for most.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually find taxes in the form of insurance more burdensome. Paying out of pocket for health insurance is wild. Then add one homeowners. Then add on auto. I spend a fortune on insurance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Yes. I honestly don't see how you can arrive at 60% taxation. 

I'm self-employed and pay around 20-25% in income taxes, which includes a double dip for social security. Say we spent $100K each year (we spend less) and all that was subject to sales tax -- that's $8,250. In reality, it's much lower. Property taxes, which are high in Texas, are about $7,000 for our home.

So if I made $100,000, then I'm hitting a max of 40% (25% + 8.25% + 7%) of my income in taxes. Fortunately, we're doing better and our total tax rate is lower.

I guess if you owned an expensive home and made a modest amount of income, that could do it, but I think that's a rare case for most.

 

 

 

You forgot the “whatever they stick to us” tax. 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Yes. I honestly don't see how you can arrive at 60% taxation. 

I'm self-employed and pay around 20-25% in income taxes, which includes a double dip for social security. Say we spent $100K each year (we spend less) and all that was subject to sales tax -- that's $8,250. In reality, it's much lower. Property taxes, which are high in Texas, are about $7,000 for our home.

So if I made $100,000, then I'm hitting a max of 40% (25% + 8.25% + 7%) of my income in taxes. Fortunately, we're doing better and our total tax rate is lower.

I guess if you owned an expensive home and made a modest amount of income, that could do it, but I think that's a rare case for most.

 

 

 

For one thing, I live in a state where I have state income tax unlike Texas, and it keeps inching up.  I also live in a state that seems like overall things cost more than several other states, like gas, food, real estate, services, etc..Just going off of places I've visited, or what people I know out of state tell me.  I don't own a home, my wife and I rent, but we own land that we pay taxes on.    We both make a fairly decent income, but don't really have a lot of write offs. We both probably make a little more than the national average income, but not wealthy by any means.   I claim 2 dependents and she claims none.   We used to get maybe 5 to 6,000 in tax returns a year but this previous year we got exactly 0...Even owed money to the Fed, which was paid for by the return we got from the state so ended up with nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, texasdago said:

I mow my own lawn.  I'm one of two people on my street who mows his own lawn.  

Ugh... those years mowing my parents lawn growing up in Houston was enough for me to not ever want to do that again.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're not really spelling it out. In fact, now you're saying it's the cost of things and not taxation. Don't get me wrong, taxes are a major portion of a budget and money gets eaten up fast when you get hit will all the stuff we seem to have to spend on these days. But saying it's all tax just isn't correct. 

Say you make $150K as a household. Here's the tax calculator:

image.png.cc1a6554aa74870b67362c24260206f6.png

So that's 27.3% in taxes. AZ (where I assume you are) has an average property tax of around 0.75% from what I find. Say your land is worth $200K -- that's $1,500 in property taxes, which would bump the total tax rate to $42,455 or 28.3% effective.

Unless you're spending about $510,000 per year that incurs sales tax at 8.3%, then you aren't anywhere near 60% in taxes.

Edited by FirstTimeCaller
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

You're not really spelling it out. In fact, now you're saying it's the cost of things and not taxation. Don't get me wrong, taxes are a major portion of a budget and money gets eaten up fast when you get hit will all the stuff we seem to have to spend on these days. But saying it's all tax just isn't correct. 

Say you make $150K as a household. Here's the tax calculator:

image.png.cc1a6554aa74870b67362c24260206f6.png

So that's 27.3% in taxes. AZ (where I assume you are) has an average property tax of around 0.75% from what I find. Say your land is worth $200K -- that's $1,500 in property taxes, which would bump the total tax rate to $42,455 or 28.3% effective.

Unless you're spending about $510,000 per year that incurs sales tax at 8.3%, then you aren't anywhere near 60% in taxes.

 

You must have missed the lede.  He probably doesn't give a shit about all your calculations; he's bitching because he no longer gets a refund each year and is stumped by that.

 

 

 

  • Drool 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see comparison of past tax refunds to current tax refunds for an individual as a very clear way to make an argument about who is taxing the middle class and for what. It sounds like rhetoric out of a time machine to the Reagan years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

You must have missed the lede.  He probably doesn't give a shit about all your calculations; he's bitching because he no longer gets a refund each year and is stumped by that.

Like many of us, Trump and the GOP raised our taxes with his 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Rage+1 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the "I no longer get a refund" angle is meaningless.

Beyond that, I always get a chuckle out of the "I pay state income tax and you Texans don't" hysteria.  Sure, granted.  You also don't pay 2.3% or more in property taxes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yeah, the "I no longer get a refund" angle is meaningless.

Beyond that, I always get a chuckle out of the "I pay state income tax and you Texans don't" hysteria.  Sure, granted.  You also don't pay 2.3% or more in property taxes.

I likely come out ahead with property tax, but I fucking hate it. I'd much rather have an income tax. Just seems fairer than a situation where 1) you never "own" your property (sorry old folks!) and 2) the county seemingly arbitrarily decides a value of your property to tax you on. Oh yeah, did I mention that same county gets more money if they appraise your property higher? 

The amount of time and effort that goes into the appraisal + protest is silly. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I likely come out ahead with property tax, but I fucking hate it. I'd much rather have an income tax. Just seems fairer than a situation where 1) you never "own" your property (sorry old folks!) and 2) the county seemingly arbitrarily decides a value of your property to tax you on. Oh yeah, did I mention that same county gets more money if they appraise your property higher? 

The amount of time and effort that goes into the appraisal + protest is silly. 

And while some in CA complain about their income AND property tax, I believe their property is only re-evaluated during a sale or major renovations. We get hit every year with value increases.  But to be fair, in the ~20 years that I’ve owned my home, Harris County has kept the value the same 2 or 3 times. Let’s say the value goes up 75% of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yeah, the "I no longer get a refund" angle is meaningless.

If you don't have a problem with it, you can sponsor me and pay my 5 to 6,000 extra a year to the Government...I feel like I pay enough already.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Azbadlands said:

If you don't have a problem with it, you can sponsor me and pay my 5 to 6,000 extra a year to the Government...I feel like I pay enough already.  

What matters is your total tax bill relative to your income, not whether or not what was withheld was sufficient.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

And while some in CA complain about their income AND property tax, I believe their property is only re-evaluated during a sale or major renovations. We get hit every year with value increases.

Yeah, my appraised value has more than doubled (2.08X) in the last 3 years.  "Fortunately" my net-appraised value has only gone up 1.33X in that time frame, due to exemptions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

If you don't have a problem with it, you can sponsor me and pay my 5 to 6,000 extra a year to the Government...I feel like I pay enough already.  

So what percentage do you pay? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

You're not really spelling it out. In fact, now you're saying it's the cost of things and not taxation. Don't get me wrong, taxes are a major portion of a budget and money gets eaten up fast when you get hit will all the stuff we seem to have to spend on these days. But saying it's all tax just isn't correct. 

Say you make $150K as a household. Here's the tax calculator:

image.png.cc1a6554aa74870b67362c24260206f6.png

So that's 27.3% in taxes. AZ (where I assume you are) has an average property tax of around 0.75% from what I find. Say your land is worth $200K -- that's $1,500 in property taxes, which would bump the total tax rate to $42,455 or 28.3% effective.

Unless you're spending about $510,000 per year that incurs sales tax at 8.3%, then you aren't anywhere near 60% in taxes.

You're close, I do live in AZ, but I work remotely for a company out of California, so I got taxed at California's state income rate. At least I did last year when I first moved here.  My company is starting to build an office here in AZ now so won't be based out of California anymore soon.  

I probably paid around 34 to 35 % taxes total based on your calculations last year..

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

You're close, I do live in AZ, but I work remotely for a company out of California, so I got taxed at California's state income rate. At least I did last year when I first moved here.  My company is starting to build an office here in AZ now so won't be based out of California anymore soon.  

I probably paid around 34 to 35 % taxes total based on your calculations last year..

Ok, so definitely significant, but not 60%.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

You're close, I do live in AZ, but I work remotely for a company out of California, so I got taxed at California's state income rate. At least I did last year when I first moved here.  My company is starting to build an office here in AZ now so won't be based out of California anymore soon.  

I probably paid around 34 to 35 % taxes total based on your calculations last year..

Generally speaking California should only tax your wages for work performed in California. If you were working in Arizona, then you could probably file a California non-resident return and get a refund.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, texasdago said:

Loooolllll... I don't know about you but most middle to upper class neighborhoods, you have a bunch of lazy asses who can't be bothered to mow their own lawn and have to pay a service to clean their pool, mow, rake their leaves. 

I mow my own lawn.  I'm one of two people on my street who mows his own lawn.  

Eliseo mows my lawn.

 

He doesn't have any papers and he used to rent a house from my dad and bang my wife's mom, so he's like family and I don't want to take away money from family. 

 

 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, hornmpa96 said:

Generally speaking California should only tax your wages for work performed in California. If you were working in Arizona, then you could probably file a California non-resident return and get a refund.

It was literally at the end of the tax year when I moved to AZ, so most of the income was earned in California.  However, I will have to look into it this year..I go back and forth between here and California a lot traveling for work, not sure how they will handle the situation.  I'm going to have to hire someone to do the taxes that knows the laws.

Edited by Azbadlands
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Azbadlands said:

It was literally at the end of the tax year when I moved to AZ, so most of the income was earned in California.  However, I will have to look into it this year..I go back and forth between here and California a lot traveling for work, not sure how they will handle the situation.  I'm going to have to hire someone to do the taxes that knows the laws.

You will have to track your days in and out of California.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Azbadlands said:

If you don't have a problem with it, you can sponsor me and pay my 5 to 6,000 extra a year to the Government...I feel like I pay enough already.  

Wait, you are aware that a tax refund isn't a "Oh, we decided to lower your taxes this year and give everyone some money back."?

It's a "You did your withholdings wrong and have been paying us more than you owe for the entire year, so I guess you can have the overage back."

Using your tax refund--or lack thereof--to assess how much more you're being taxed doesn't make sense.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, aggie08 said:

Using your tax refund--or lack thereof--to assess how much more you're being taxed doesn't make sense.

nor is it good personal monetary practice. basically the gov't is saying "thanks for the loan, here's your principal back. we'll keep the interest" as the saying goes, if you get a return at the end of you year, you have a fool for a client. or something like that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said:

Seriously tho, proposed it before. Every American's tax returns SHOULD be public information. 

Errr... yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with you there.

Office Space GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

You must have missed the lede.  He probably doesn't give a shit about all your calculations; he's bitching because he no longer gets a refund each year and is stumped by that.

He doesn’t give a shit, because his first two posts in this thread were to distract from a couple of us who were mentioning that Republicans don’t want to give up their lawn care guys or pool boys or maids, or cheap poultry or produce or cheap building/construction costs and so they won’t do anything to actually reduce the desirability of coming to the US by drying up the jobs here.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, bolverk said:

 

 

It's disgusting beyond all words, but let's please be more careful about tweets. This one's misleading in that it implies the case was in Texas with the mention of Abbott. It was not - although I wouldn't be surprised if there were cases like this here.

But this happened in Michigan.

It's also a bureaucratic fuckup rather than anything to do with abortion or intentional cruelty. The rapist was automatically granted joint custody when the victim listed as name as father while applying for benefits. A fuckup to be sure, and one that shouldn't happen (I have no idea if the process has changed) but he didn't apply for any custody and the the custody was quickly rescinded when his crimes were shown to the judge.

Shitty reporting and click-bait is not unique to the Newsmax's of the world unfortunately. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, YChang said:

Ugh... those years mowing my parents lawn growing up in Houston was enough for me to not ever want to do that again.

I used to mow lawns as a teenager in Houston.  That's why I am bulletproof today and will work in the yard in triple digits.  

Power Rangers Robot GIF

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

He doesn’t give a shit, because his first two posts in this thread were to distract from a couple of us who were mentioning that Republicans don’t want to give up their lawn care guys or pool boys or maids, or cheap poultry or produce or cheap building/construction costs and so they won’t do anything to actually reduce the desirability of coming to the US by drying up the jobs here.

I don't do any of that hiring.  I've been the grunt my entire life since growing up on a ranch in North Central Texas...

You're talking about really rich people.  I wasn't trying to distract, I'm just saying that the Middle class should be voting based on how immigration will impact them...

Yeah, food prices could be higher, but some of the rest of the stuff you brought up, we are already feeling it.  I can't just go out and hire some undocumented immigrant to work on something major on my house to save money.  There are building codes, insurance rules, etc.  I'm still gonna have to pay a licensed contractor a boatload of money. If it is something minor, I'll just do it myself...

I guess what I'm saying is, if it eventually raises my taxes now or in the future to pay for all these people that are coming by the droves, to get them situated in the country and cared for, etc.  How is it benefiting the Middle class taxpayer? 

I'm not against immigration, I just think it needs to be controlled by our government and maintained at certain levels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

I don't do any of that hiring.  I've been the grunt my entire life since growing up on a ranch in North Central Texas...

Thats nice, but I know plenty who do hire, cash-only, no questions.

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

You're talking about really rich people.  I wasn't trying to distract, I'm just saying that the Middle class should be voting based on how immigration will impact them...

The Office Lol GIF by NETFLIX

Only rich people are hiring illegals to do their lawns, roofs, paint their houses,  etc.?  I can think of multiple people that I personally know right now, including quite a few MAGA, who are hiring these people, and they are not rich.

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

Yeah, food prices could be higher,

Could be?  They will be much higher if Republicans would dry up those jobs for illegal immigrants.  Which is why Republicans aren’t shutting down operations with lots of illegal labor.

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

but some of the rest of the stuff you brought up, we are already feeling it.  I can't just go out and hire some undocumented immigrant to work on something major on my house to save money. 

Do you consider replacing the siding or the roof to be “major”?  Because I see that all the time.

11 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

There are building codes, insurance rules, etc.  I'm still gonna have to pay a licensed contractor a boatload of money. If it is something minor, I'll just do it myself...

That’s nice that you are willing to do it, but I go by a couple of houses being built every day, and half or more of the workers are not here legally.  Sure licensed plumbers and electricians come in and do their thing, but not the guys digging the trenches, pouring concrete, framing the house, etc.

You cannot be from Texas, because in Texas, you are surrounded by illegal immigrants doing everything from mowing the lawns or new roofs to building various developments.  This state is arguably as successful as it is, and has a lower cost of living in many areas, because of the illegal immigrant labor.  This state would collapse if the illegal immigrants were driven out, which is why the Republicans won’t seriously go after businesses or individuals who hire illegal immigrants.

Edited by atomheartbevo
  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

 

You cannot be from Texas, because in Texas, you are surrounded by illegal immigrants doing everything from mowing the lawns or new roofs to building various developments.  This state is arguably as successful as it is, and has a lower cost of living in many areas, because of the illegal immigrant labor.  This state would collapse if the illegal immigrants were driven out..

Where I grew up in Texas, the time and place, almost everyone did their own handy work.  Their were illegal immigrants around, but they weren't doing any work that white people/ black people, etc didn't also do...Mostly teenagers/ 20 and 30 year olds that grew up around my hometown did the real grunt work on ranches and in the oil field...I made money for college doing all kinds of manual labor jobs from working in the oilfield, welding, framing houses/ barns, painting,  hauling hay, working cattle, etc...

You could be right, the whole world might collapse without the cheap  labor,  but it didn't back then and there was way less people in the country illegally in the 70's and 80s..

Anyway, I didn't imply we don't need those kinds of manual labor workers here in the US, what I said was immigration needs to be controlled and maintained in the country by us, our government..Way better than it is now.

I couldn't or maybe don't know to get away with paying an undocumented immigrant to do major work with insurance money on any of the houses i've owned.  They always asked for licensed contractor everywhere I've owned a house.

Edited by Azbadlands
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That’s nice that you are willing to do it, but I go by a couple of houses being built every day, and half or more of the workers are not here legally.  Sure licensed plumbers and electricians come in and do their thing, but not the guys digging the trenches, pouring concrete, framing the house, etc.
You cannot be from Texas, because in Texas, you are surrounded by illegal immigrants doing everything from mowing the lawns or new roofs to building various developments.  This state is arguably as successful as it is, and has a lower cost of living in many areas, because of the illegal immigrant labor.  This state would collapse if the illegal immigrants were driven out, which is why the Republicans won’t seriously go after businesses or individuals who hire illegal immigrants.

So much this.
The cost your employer pays to lease your office space? It’s lower because immigrant labor that built it, maintains it, cleans it, landscapes it. Which means more money left to pay employees.
The apartment you rent? Saves money on the labor to build it, do major maintenance, and landscape maintenance.
The food in the store? Most of it is cheaper because of immigrant labor.
Any number of businesses you visit? Their prices are cheaper because of money saved on construction, maintenance, landscaping, table bussers, dishwashers, the guys who load and unload the trucks of goods, etc.
“A day without a Mexican” would cost you a metric shitton in indirect costs.
I also wonder…why do so many right wing immigration hawks hate the free market? Labor is finding its place, at market rates.
Are you complaining that the low rate of immigrant pay leaves a gap to where they may require govt assistance? Maybe. But your complaint should be as to ALL low wage workers (we the people subsidize WalMart to the tune of billions of dollars - we pay their employees (in food aid etc) because Wally World doesn’t).
Sorry, the numbers don’t bear it out - immigrants and immigrant labor is not what’s hurting the middle class. A system that squeezes the middle class disproportionately to the wealthier classes? Yeah…I’d look there for the things that you claim concern you. And even then, you aren’t burdened by the small amount of tax dollars that go to food stamps for some poor people. Defense, SS, Medicare…that’s where the bulk of your money goes. But also, don’t forget those things that subsidize the wealthier classes.
Blaming immigrants is lazy, and is exactly what the people who are REALLY fucking you over want you to bite on, so you’re distracted. Looks like it’s working.
  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

Where I grew up in Texas, the time and place, almost everyone did their own handy work. 

That time has passed.  Drive through any decent-sized Texas subdivision these days, and you will see that a lot of homeowners aren’t doing their yard work or siding or roofs or whatever, and why would they?  Somebody making $50,000 or $60,000 a year can easily pay somebody else cash and no questions about legal status, to mow their lawn or other lawn care so that they don’t have to worry about the HOA crawling up their asses because some Karen drove around with a ruler measuring lawns.  It’s fucking hot in Texas for a big chunk of the year, and the people who have moved in over the past 40 years damned sure don’t want to do their own roofs or siding or house painting as well.

And visit any large-sized building and look at the janitorial services, food staff, etc.

6 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

what I said was immigration needs to be controlled and maintained in the country by us, our government..Way better than it is now.

It will never happen.  Too many Republicans benefit from Illegal immigrants. 

And as @Brisketexan mentioned, this immigrant labor is what allows the middle class in Texas to thrive in many areas, where thousadaires can pay others to mow the lawn, paint the house, etc. so that they don’t have to sweat their asses off in the heat, and can stay inside and post on sports forums.

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just used a paycheck calculator for California and at 10 million dollars a year you are still only taxed 53.31%.

It must have been the multiple homes you own @Azbadlands

Also I’m pretty sure AZ and California have reciprocity taxes.

I work remote for a company in NYC, I don’t pay their taxes at all.

Edited by StassneyHorn
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah when the rates changed a few years ago, they also changed the withholding.  Our withholding went WAY down in relation to earnings, so instead of getting a refund, we've owed the last few years.  Got to look at the effective rate instead of "muh refund".

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

You must have missed the lede.  He probably doesn't give a shit about all your calculations; he's bitching because he no longer gets a refund each year and is stumped by that.

 

 

 

Yeah, the last Tax bill signed by trump raised the taxes on everyone that has a salary and reduced taxes for people who live off their investment income.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Azbadlands said:

Yeah, I claimed that, please educate me on how I'm not?  Between State and Federal income tax, sales tax, real estate tax, and whatever other tax they wanna stick to us, i'm paying a shitload of tax, and I claim 2 dependents for income tax and this past year I got exactly 0 for a tax return.  Everything I got back from the state for a tax return, went straight to the Fed to pay what I supposedly still owed them...

 

IMG_4452.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites



×
×
  • Create New...