CA: Ballot issue would tax the rich to fund mental health programs

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 20 March 2004

[CounterCounterCulture]

Ballot issue would tax the rich to fund mental health programs

MEASURE TARGETS THOSE MAKING OVER $1 MILLION

By Putsata Reang

Mercury News

Santa Clara County leaders are debating whether to support a controversial state ballot measure set to go before voters this fall that would tap California's richest residents -- about 30,000 -- to pay for mental health programs.

Under the proposed Mental Health Services Act, anyone who earns more than $1 million would be taxed an additional 1 percent on every dollar earned beyond that first $1 million, raising the current tax rate on that income from 9.3 percent to 10.3 percent.

Instead of $9.30 in taxes on every $100 of income over $1 million, a person would pay $10.30.

Proponents of the measure say they have submitted about 644,000 signatures -- about 244,000 more than the 400,000 needed to qualify for the Nov. 2 ballot. The numbers are expected to be verified by the counties Thursday; they must be certified by the secretary of state within a week after that.

(snip)

Critics say the measure has all the makings of a class war -- unfairly burdening the wealthy for the benefit of a minority.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Merky News articles are to be excerpted.

[Paleo Conservative]

That's crazy.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Let's start the campaign against...

You'd have to be NUTS
to vote for Prop ##
NO on ##

Tax Loony Liberals
They're the ones who need
mental health services
NO on ##

[BenLurkin]

Considering how many of California's "super-rich" are Hollywierd types, they may be paying for their own treatment.

Otherwise, can't see why the rich are responsible for mental illness.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Considering how many of California's "super-rich" are Hollywierd types, they may be paying for their own treatment.

And we could also tax their cocaine ;-)

[writer33]

"Critics say the measure has all the makings of a class war -- unfairly burdening the wealthy for the benefit of a minority."


This is funny. I didn't think I'd ever see something like this in a liberal paper. I thought it was always the other way around, according to liberals.

[RicocheT]

Democracy without ethics degenerates into a mob looking to eat the bread of others. When the stolen bread is gone, the mob kills those who had produced it in the past as the mob is hungry and angry.

The fear of mob rule is why the Constitution set up a republic style of government. But, by widening the vote to non-producers and mental midgets, plus making the Senate popularly elected, we are now almost to mob rule.

[Reeses]

California's richest residents -- about 30,000

This would cause many rich families to set up residency in other states, and they don't need to sell their California property to do it. Many are on permanent vacation so it is not hard to do. That would result in less than anticipated or even a net loss of state tax revenue. And it would cause more poor families to move to California from Mexico and other places. Have a mentally handicapped child and are poor? Move to California.

Socialism functions best when there's no better place for wealth to go, hence the reason socialist countries and states need others to increase socialism to within their ballpark, and is why socialists meddle in everyone else's affairs.

In its heyday San Francisco had many fine buildings and parks, mainly because of the rich people that lived there. It's been turned into a shell of its former self by leftist envy politics.

[cherry]

perhaps unfair, but gee, to see the likes of all those Howood elite have to pay more makes my heart happy, very happy....

wanna bet that a big anti-tax campaign will be supported secretly by the elite?.....

[John Jorsett]

Democracy without ethics degenerates into a mob looking to eat the bread of others. When the stolen bread is gone, the mob kills those who had produced it in the past as the mob is hungry and angry.

Good summary of what's happening in Zimbabwe right now.

[truth_seeker]

"The fear of mob rule is why the Constitution set up a republic style of government. But, by widening the vote to non-producers and mental midgets, plus making the Senate popularly elected, we are now almost to mob rule."

Yeah. They have 644,000 signatures to Tax only 30,000 souls, fortunate enough to put together a good income year.

Yesiree. We are on the verge, aren't we?

One good reason to keep reported California income low. If you can.