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Guest Post: Welcome To The Predatory State of California--Even If You Don't Live There
ZeroHedge ^ | March 20, 2012 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 03/20/2012 10:10:39 AM PDT by bkopto

Correspondent R.T. is a retired accountant who has resided in Arizona since 2001. Prior to 2001, he resided in California.

On March 14, he received a letter from the California Franchise Tax Board (the agency that collects income taxes) claiming that he owed $1,343 for the tax year 2006. This was the first notification he'd ever received of this claim. This was an interesting claim given that R.T.:

-- Did not reside in California in 2006

-- Did not file a State income tax return in California in 2006

-- Did not have any outstanding tax issues with California in 2006

-- Did no business in California in 2006

-- Owned no property in California in 2006

The number $1,343 is also interesting, as R.T.'s total Federal tax liability in 2006 was $650. Since the top income tax rate in California is about 9%, and that only kicks in at relatively high income levels above $100,000 annually, then it's difficult to see how anyone could owe double their Federal tax in California state tax.

But the truly interesting part of the story is that the state took $1,343 out of R.T.'s Wells Fargo bank account on March 2, prior to notifying him of the claim. Wells Fargo charged R.T. $100 for handling the removal of his $1,343.

As R.T. observed: "If I had filed a 2006 California tax return the statute of limitations would have run out, but since I did not file a 2006 tax return there is no statute of limitations. This is the classic catch 22."

What is entirely believable is that the state of California, desperate for revenue, is churning out dubious income tax claims stretching back years and collecting the money without due process.

(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; US: California
KEYWORDS: bureaucracy; california; chaos; corruption; democrats; fraud; govtabuse; liberalfascism; tax; taxes; tyranny
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1 posted on 03/20/2012 10:10:50 AM PDT by bkopto
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To: bkopto
Since the top income tax rate in California is about 9%, and that only kicks in at relatively high income levels above $100,000 annually

Not true. The marginal rate of 9.3 percent kicks in at about $48K for single filers, and an additional "surcharge" of an additional 1% above $1 Million. Try living in SoCal on $50K/year.
2 posted on 03/20/2012 10:22:19 AM PDT by OCCASparky (Steely-eyed killer of the deep.)
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To: bkopto

Virginia used to send me letters requiring property tax to be paid on my car that was no longer tagged in VA and eventually not even owed by me. I had moved out of VA. I was never an official resident of VA as I was in the service and my official state of residence was Georgia. Finally I had a lawyer send VA a letter and they quit threatening me. Appaerntly some guys in the service must have sent in the money ‘cause they kept after me for a while.


3 posted on 03/20/2012 10:31:25 AM PDT by dblshot (Insanity: electing the same people over and over and expecting different results.)
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To: sickoflibs; stephenjohnbanker

just damn...maybe we need a law to protect the citizenry from out of control [and money] gubmints...???


4 posted on 03/20/2012 10:37:10 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Gilbo_3
"just damn...maybe we need a law to protect the citizenry from out of control [and money] gubmints...???"

Been there...

Done that...

Posted it on youtube...

See: Constitution of the United States of America

5 posted on 03/20/2012 10:41:41 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Gilbo_3

I’ve always thought the citizens should implement a citizen processing fee of $50 or $100 for having to reply to the government when they’ve caused unnecessary work for the citizens. If there was a penalty to the government for their mistakes this crap would soon stop.


6 posted on 03/20/2012 10:59:08 AM PDT by Portcall24
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To: bkopto

Wells Fargo did something very similar to me about a year ago. I wouldn’t use them again if they were the last bank on earth.


7 posted on 03/20/2012 11:00:25 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Ich habe keinen Konig aber Gott)
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To: Gilbo_3

For sure!


8 posted on 03/20/2012 11:01:00 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: bkopto

If a retroactive tax is legal why not the ability to tax income of nonresidents?


9 posted on 03/20/2012 11:03:46 AM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: bkopto

Sounds like somebody who just wants to do the accounting that Americans won’t do has appropriated his SSN.


10 posted on 03/20/2012 11:26:01 AM PDT by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: bkopto

I would start by suing Wells Fargo for allowing the unlawful withdrawal.

I would, of course, sue California for fraud and theft.

The amount would include all legal fees and any penalties I and my lawyer could dream up.


11 posted on 03/20/2012 11:32:33 AM PDT by G Larry (We are NOT obliged to carry the snake in our pocket and then dismiss the bites as natural behavior.)
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To: bkopto

California Franchise Tax Board could use a few Spalding Trademarks imprinted on their respective foreheads.


12 posted on 03/20/2012 11:35:52 AM PDT by G Larry (We are NOT obliged to carry the snake in our pocket and then dismiss the bites as natural behavior.)
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To: count-your-change
If a retroactive tax is legal why not the ability to tax income of nonresidents?

As a career Navy man I had several ties over the years to the State of California. When stationed in Japan, I had a mailing address (Fleet Post Office Box) in San Francisco. Following that, I went to survival school just North of San Diego for about six weeks prior to going to Viet Nam for a year (and again using a Fleet Post Office Box in California). My last two-year tour was in San Diego - where as a "geographical batchelor" I lived in the barracks on base (a Federal Reservation, by the way).

At the time I retired in September 1990 California wanted to tax my military retired pay based on the percentage of it that was earned during the amount of time that I had a California address. They didn't care that I had actually never lived in the state other than on a federal reservation outside of state jurisdiction. The US Supreme Court took a challenge to this practice and declared it unconstitutional (Thank Goodness). Otherwise they would have been taxing me and a lot of other people based on "Sourced earnings".

13 posted on 03/20/2012 11:36:05 AM PDT by Retired COB (Still mad about Campaign Finance Reform)
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To: G Larry

Good one!


14 posted on 03/20/2012 11:41:05 AM PDT by meatloaf (Support House Bill 1380 to eliminate oil slavery.)
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To: bkopto

It sounds like mail fraud to me.


15 posted on 03/20/2012 11:45:02 AM PDT by freedomfiter2 (Brutal acts of commission and yawning acts of omission both strengthen the hand of the devil.)
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To: bkopto

George Runner is on the Franchise Tax Board, was a Republican Senator (his wife has the seat now), and is a good guy. If you’re registered to post on this site, could you post it? In his spot, I would call George Runner.


16 posted on 03/20/2012 11:46:07 AM PDT by Excellence (9/11 was an act of faith.)
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To: Excellence
If you’re registered to post on this site, could you post it?

Are you meaning to reply to me, or another? Post what? What is "this site"?

Sorry, I can't seem to get what you are relating.

17 posted on 03/20/2012 12:28:04 PM PDT by bkopto (Obama is merely a symptom of a more profound, systemic disease in American body politic.)
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To: OCCASparky
Now that the Stimulus monies are running out, the states are going to get very hungry. California is near the top of the list because their new taxes are not working out.

My thinking is that the states are just realizing that income tax revenues will be far less than they expected. Property tax revenues are down. In California, that means a Hungry Golden Bear.

In the other states, Lord knows what it could mean.

Hang on to your wallet, the Tax Man Cometh.

18 posted on 03/20/2012 12:37:46 PM PDT by sr4402
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To: sr4402
I wonder if the real problem here is one of identity theft. Perhaps someone else from California is using the same ssn.
19 posted on 03/20/2012 12:43:25 PM PDT by CrashCole
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To: bkopto

The source for the story. If I could get a message to the guy who had his money stolen, I would advise he get in touch with George Runner. Stuff like this irritates me.


20 posted on 03/20/2012 12:52:58 PM PDT by Excellence (9/11 was an act of faith.)
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