Jury says state owes inventor millions

Sacramento Bee ^ | 8/15/8 | Steve Wiegand

[GATOR NAVY]

As I recall, didn't California claim that they had the right to tax the income of people who retired in California, even after they had left the state?

I remember when CA was claiming they could collect income on the retired pay of military member who had been stationed in CA in proportion to the amount of their career they spent in CA. In other words, since I spent eight of my twenty four years in CA, I would owe CA income tax on one third of my retired pay, whether or not I made any claim to CA residency when I was there (I didn't).

IIRC, they lost in court based on the Soldiers and Sailor Relief Act due to the fact that service members were sent to CA on the orders of the service, not by choice.

[glorgau]

What made California think that it should get money made in another state?

They made a claim against me for the year 2003. I paid mortgage interest but did not work or file a tax return in California for that year. I literally had no income. (lived off savings).

They guesstimated that my "income " was 3 times what it would take to pay the mortgage and sent me an income tax bill for that amount. I ignored them for 3 years until just before the state was going to strip my checking account for the amount.

Nothing but extortion plain and simple.

[marktwain]

California also has a “sales tax” of a few percent when you sell property in California. They don't call it that, I forget the name. But a freind of mine had property in California, and sold it. At the closing, he asked, what is this 3% charge? It was the California tax on selling the property, even if he was out of state (he was). He could only sell the property through a California title company, and they were required by law to collect the tax from the sale.

[marktwain]

California also has a “sales tax” of a few percent when you sell property in California. They don't call it that, I forget the name. But a freind of mine had property in California, and sold it. At the closing, he asked, what is this 3% charge? It was the California tax on selling the property, even if he was out of state (he was). He could only sell the property through a California title company, and they were required by law to collect the tax from the sale.

[businessprofessor]

Disgusting abuse of governmental powers. All who prosecuted and persecuted this guy should face significant jail time.

The individuals involved should be punished either with loss of income and possible criminally if laws were broken. However, the taxpayer should not be raped for the deeds of a few government workers. The damages (both punitive and actual) are way out of line. This person was unduly harrassed but the harrasment is not worth $500 million. Perhaps he should receive legal fees and a small monetary award of $500,000.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

California is such a beautiful place to live

I would never live anywhere else, if they got rid of the politicians there.

[Cacique]

btt

[purpleraine]

Calif: we drive business out and lose taxes, so now we stalk them.

[purpleraine]

Someone can correct me.

I believe you're referring to withholding money at escrow for projected state capital gain tax. However, I think there's a form you fill out and if you answer the questions correctly the tax is not withheld. Anybody????

[mad_as_he$$]

Yup another reason to leave!! I live about 6 miles from the border and do everything I can to stay out. Business and friends require me to visit from time to time but I limit that as much as I can.

[supercat]

That was the Fleet Post Office address for U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. :-)

I wonder what would happen if the federal government were to enact a statute providing that the federal government not report the pay of military personnel of enlisted or officer class be reported to any state or locality, and that such pay was exempt from income tax? Nice way to give some soldiers a boost in pay I would think, without it officially coming out of the budget.

[supercat]

The individuals involved should be punished either with loss of income and possible criminally if laws were broken.

How about, as a starting point, docking state officials' pay for any time spent on illegitimate activities?

[Smokin' Joe]

The idea, which is always quite popular in California, is to tax "out of state" resources to pay current California bills.

How quaint. Taxation without representation.