TFA went on about the greatness of the red states and mentioned low taxes in alaska one too many times... ctrl-f>oil ctrl-f>petro returned no results, I quit reading.

FTFA: According to the most recent data available from the Census Bureau, for the fiscal year ending in 2006, Americans paid an average of $4,001 per person in state and local taxes. But Californians paid $4,517 per person, well above that national average, while Texans paid $3,235. It's worth noting, by the way, that while state and local governments in both California and Texas get most of their revenue from taxes, the revenue is augmented by subsidies from the federal government and by fees charged for governmental services and facilities, such as trash collection, airports, public university tuition, and mass transit. California had total revenues of $11,160 per capita, more than every state but Alaska, Wyoming, and New York, while Texas placed a distant 44th on this scale, with revenues of all governmental entities totaling $7,558 per person.

This article makes no attempt to account for the fact that median household income in California is, you know, different than all of the other states, nor the fact the taxes that are collected to fund those federal subsidies come disproportionately from wealthier states, like, for instance, California.

I dub thee WHAARRRGARBL.

Well DUH.

Soak the Rich, Lose the Rich (new window)

Americans know how to use the moving van to escape high taxes.

.....Here's the problem for states that want to pry more money out of the wallets of rich people. It never works because people, investment capital and businesses are mobile: They can leave tax-unfriendly states and move to tax-friendly states.

And the evidence that we discovered in our new study for the American Legislative Exchange Council, "Rich States, Poor States," published in March, shows that Americans are more sensitive to high taxes than ever before. The tax differential between low-tax and high-tax states is widening, meaning that a relocation from high-tax California or Ohio, to no-income tax Texas or Tennessee, is all the more financially profitable both in terms of lower tax bills and more job opportunities.

Updating some research from Richard Vedder of Ohio University, we found that from 1998 to 2007, more than 1,100 people every day including Sundays and holidays moved from the nine highest income-tax states such as California, New Jersey, New York and Ohio and relocated mostly to the nine tax-haven states with no income tax, including Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire and Texas. We also found that over these same years the no-income tax states created 89% more jobs and had 32% faster personal income growth than their high-tax counterparts.

Did the greater prosperity in low-tax states happen by chance? Is it coincidence that the two highest tax-rate states in the nation, California and New York, have the biggest fiscal holes to repair? No. Dozens of academic studies -- old and new -- have found clear and irrefutable statistical evidence that high state and local taxes repel jobs and businesses......

Of course they do. The federal government supports it by taking money from blue states and giving it to the low-tax red states. Perhaps we should try actually giving each state the money it contributes, and see what happens when low-tax states have to scramble to make up the budget shortfall.

Cagey B: This article makes no attempt to account for the fact that median household income in California is, you know, different than all of the other states,

Bingo. First thing I noticed.

Oh neat. I'm considering moving from Dallas to teh Bay Area. What's that mean?

question_dj: Oh neat. I'm considering moving from Dallas to teh Bay Area. What's that mean?

i think that means you're a patriot?

the biggest problem i have with this study is that it makes absolutely no attempt to control for other possible drivers of the data (e.g. sky-rocketing housing prices in california, shifting regional economic factors, etc). it also goes out of its way to exclude two states that were hurt by katrina without acknowledging that texas received a large amount of those transplants. it just seems like an extremely simplistic study to be presenting as proof of ideological victory.

question_dj: Oh neat. I'm considering moving from Dallas to teh Bay Area. What's that mean?

It's awesome? The Bay Area is my favorite place. I went to college there and have family there. Just a great, great place to live.

If everyone leaves won't the red states have to raise taxes because they won't be getting federal welfare?

thomps: i think that means you're a patriot?

i read your post wrong, i thought you were leaving california for texas. i retract my comment and submit that you are a traitor and probably a communist.

How does this jive w/the notion that more federal tax dollars end up flowing to these (hard werkin, anti-welfare, no gubnt) low tax states.

Gato Negro: "Tax it, and they will leave."

so THAT'S how we can get rid of the Mexicans.

DamnYankees: Cagey B: This article makes no attempt to account for the fact that median household income in California is, you know, different than all of the other states,

Bingo. First thing I noticed.

The higher median household income in California is more than made up for by the higher cost of living and the highest tax rate in the entire country.

12349876: Gato Negro: "Tax it, and they will leave."

so THAT'S how we can get rid of the Mexicans.

No, Mexicans are brown...that's what our bombs are for.

OgreMagi: The higher median household income in California is more than made up for by the higher cost of living and the highest tax rate in the entire country.

That's fine. But the article doesn't even begin to adjust for that. If we're gonna have the conversation, lets gave in honestly.

Racht: Of course they do. The federal government supports it by taking money from blue states and giving it to the low-tax red states. Perhaps we should try actually giving each state the money it contributes, and see what happens when low-tax states have to scramble to make up the budget shortfall.

Really....kind of like taking money from the wealthy (who contribute more) and giving it to the poor (who contribute less).

Absolutely...but let's try it on an individual level as well.

the Red State fantasy.

The people get rich in states that allow them to be rich (generally blue states) and then when they have the money they move to the states with lower taxes (generally red states).

Duh.

How do we just get rid of the black jellybeans without sifting through them individually?

Gato Negro: "Tax it, and they will leave."

12349876: so THAT'S how we can get rid of the Mexicans.


Not exactly.

You bleed the population white with taxes so that everyone who won't vote for you leaves. That way, all those who stay are on welfare and you get to stay in power.

It's a proven system. Liberals just love it...


See: Mexifornia

DamnYankees: question_dj: Oh neat. I'm considering moving from Dallas to teh Bay Area. What's that mean?

It's awesome? The Bay Area is my favorite place. I went to college there and have family there. Just a great, great place to live.

That's kind of what I'm thinking too. I've been out there for work and love it, so I'm going to go out there for a few personal trips and see if it's the place for me.

thomps: thomps: i think that means you're a patriot?

i read your post wrong, i thought you were leaving california for texas. i retract my comment and submit that you are a traitor and probably a communist.

Honestly, I don't see much of an improvement moving in either direction.

OgreMagi: DamnYankees: Cagey B: This article makes no attempt to account for the fact that median household income in California is, you know, different than all of the other states,

Bingo. First thing I noticed.

The higher median household income in California is more than made up for by the higher cost of living and the highest tax rate in the entire country.

I want California to raise taxes more. Seriously, drive the "me first" f*ckers back out of the state. I'll gladly pay 40-50% on my income if it keeps people out. Doubly so if the state just uses those taxes to pay on existing debt while continuing to cut services.

Less people, less water issues.
Less people, less energy issues.
Less people, less people who have a philosophy built around the word "deserve."

Who the fark would any want to live in a state with no services though?

And is this only talking about income taxes? States gotta generate cash somehow - if ya don't with Income tax, ya have to with Sales tax or property tax or something... no state takes no revenue.