SHOW ME (where) THE MONEY (goes)!!
WHAT IS A BILLION anyway??
Recently in a local story by Peter Surowsky, it was noted that Lake Elsinore, CA was going to have to cut their school budget by 10% across the board. This struck me because the neighboring towns of Murrieta and Temecula just doled out a butt-load of cash on stuff ($117K and $171K respectively). Then I read where Big Arnie, the Governator is stating that California, as a whole, is operating in the red, (hint taxes may have to be raised, again).
Since the state California has the 6th largest economy in the world and collects a billion dollars a day just on property taxes alone (before the ‘housing crisis’ which was brought on by the US spending/sending a billion dollars a week to Iraq, the real reason the fighting has gone down somewhat), I wondered just how much money it takes to run this state, which spends more than 190 other whole countries around the world. So before I show just how big a billion anything is, here is a list of the other taxes that push California’s revenue past the billion-dollars-a-day mark.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service Charge Tax,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Tax,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.What happened? POLITICIANS!So where does the money go and how can the state’s populace get a general accounting of it? Is there so much graft and corruption that it is completely out of control? How much is a billion anyway?
A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
BUT
A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it. While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let’s take a look at New Orleans. It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple division.
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu, is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number –what does it mean?
A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.
B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.
‘Once I built a railroad, made it run on time. Hey brother, can you spare a dime?’