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I don't complain about taxes. So now you know one engineer who doesn't. That said, I do sometimes complain about what gets done with my taxes and occasionally

by timr 13y ago

I don't complain about taxes. So now you know one engineer who doesn't. That said, I do sometimes complain about what gets done with my taxes and occasionally I wonder if the system is fair -- but those are different things. I certainly don't begrudge paying taxes to support a civil society (and if I were massively wealthy, I wouldn't begrudge paying more taxes than I do now). I think a lot of poor people pay far too much, and most rich people pay far too little. It pisses me off, for example, that I have to pay taxes on every employee I hire, regardless of whether or not my company is profitable. Likewise, it pisses me off that someone making $30k a year in San Francisco has to pay income tax at all. That's just wrong. Finally, as a resident of a city with outrageous rents, I think that property taxes are the one tiny, completely inadequate hedge that our society has against the total economic dominance of the people who were lucky enough to get here first.

001sky 13y ago
It pisses me off, for example, that I have to pay taxes on every employee I hire, regardless of whether or not my company is profitable. == A Complaint about taxes. Right there. =D Seriously though, you are conflating assets and income. Low income and low assets are not the same thing. Frankly, owning assets and controlling them are also a grey area. Lots of wealthy companies and many "non-profits" are set up to maximize expednitures and minimize-or-otherwise shelter "profits" from the tax man.
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socialist_coder 13y ago
Almost every single person I know in California who would be considered part of the tech industry "rich" definitely agree with you regarding the taxes. What I hate is that no one in politics or even in the news wants to talk about the tax situation. Income inequality is already bad and only getting worse- readjusting taxes seems like a viable plan. I think we need to raise tax rates way up for the top earners (including most of us in the tech industry). But, it's never going to happen because our nation is ruled by the rich in politics and in the media, virtually guaranteeing no change to the current system. I feel very strongly about this. So strong I left the US for Germany where I'm enjoying higher taxes, universal health care, and a stronger social safety net.
- sjtgraham 13y ago
  > Almost every single person I know in California who would be considered part of the tech industry "rich" definitely agree with you regarding the taxes. Is possible that you, "socialist_coder" only associate yourself, as many others do, with those that share your values? Hence?
sarah2079 13y ago
Prop 13 helps to maintain the economic dominance of those who got here first though, which is why property taxes are often complained about in CA, even by those who tend not to complain about taxes.

by timr 13y ago

001sky 13y ago

It pisses me off, for example, that I have to pay taxes on every employee I hire, regardless of whether or not my company is profitable. == A Complaint about taxes. Right there. =D Seriously though, you are conflating assets and income. Low income and low assets are not the same thing. Frankly, owning assets and controlling them are also a grey area. Lots of wealthy companies and many "non-profits" are set up to maximize expednitures and minimize-or-otherwise shelter "profits" from the tax man.

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socialist_coder 13y ago

Almost every single person I know in California who would be considered part of the tech industry "rich" definitely agree with you regarding the taxes. What I hate is that no one in politics or even in the news wants to talk about the tax situation. Income inequality is already bad and only getting worse- readjusting taxes seems like a viable plan. I think we need to raise tax rates way up for the top earners (including most of us in the tech industry). But, it's never going to happen because our nation is ruled by the rich in politics and in the media, virtually guaranteeing no change to the current system. I feel very strongly about this. So strong I left the US for Germany where I'm enjoying higher taxes, universal health care, and a stronger social safety net.

sjtgraham 13y ago
> Almost every single person I know in California who would be considered part of the tech industry "rich" definitely agree with you regarding the taxes. Is possible that you, "socialist_coder" only associate yourself, as many others do, with those that share your values? Hence?

sarah2079 13y ago

Prop 13 helps to maintain the economic dominance of those who got here first though, which is why property taxes are often complained about in CA, even by those who tend not to complain about taxes.