CA: Sales taxes may fall short of already gloomy forecasts

SFGate.com ^ | 5/3/09 | Matthew Yi

[NormsRevenge]

The state may get more bad fiscal news this week when the state controller makes his final tally of April sales taxes.

It's no secret that the recession is taking a toll on the state's thinning coffers, but more troubling is that revenue is coming in slower than pessimistic forecasts.

April, the state's largest tax-collection month, has fallen short of expected revenue by more than $1.8 billion in personal and corporate income taxes. The state was $750 million behind projected tax collection on April 1.

There's good reason to believe April's sales tax receipts may disappoint, too. New car sales the first three months of this year fell by 43 percent compared with the same period last year, according a report last week by the California New Car Dealers Association.

Auto-related sales tax (car sales, parts, etc.) make up about 20 percent of the state's sales tax receipts, said Paul Warren, a revenue and taxation analyst for the Legislative Analyst's Office.

[Windflier]

Its been crossing my mind to get out of MN because of the liberal lunacy. I'd certainly be choosing to go someplace more conservative.

If you're looking for a conservative region, you could do a whole lot worse than Texas, but not a whole lot better. Oklahoma (our dear neighbor) is 100% red, county-wise, but there are red zones in Texas that are as big as that whole state (no offense intended, Okies).

I got the hell out of my home state of Cali almost four years ago. At the time, I had no idea what a good choice I was making. These days, I often want to bend a knee and kiss the earth of this great state. I am so thankful to be here.

[roadcat]

Charge $700 for each parking ticket and bridge tolls should be $20, each way.

Bridge tolls are outrageous. Here's an idea:

Put a toll on travel across the Mexican border into the U.S.A., $1000 to start. From the U.S.A. into Mexico is the "free" direction. Any illegals caught in the U.S.A. without a toll receipt get charged $2000 and deported. Illegals who can't pay the fine have to work it off in state work projects, like road cleanup and cleaning state buildings, prior to being deported. If the state budget still needs money, raise the border tolls!

[mamelukesabre]

And hungover americans can’t get back into america unless they pony up a grand each.