Jack Olson:
Richard argues that Ohio has been losing population not because of its high taxes but high unemployment and it is true that Ohio’s unemployment rate of 6.9% is higher than that of, say, Texas’s 5.3%. One can well understand why California is losing population with its unemployment rate of 8%.
Don’t know about the others, but CA’s rate is 11.2% and headed (much) higher, unfortunately. Businesses are fleeing or not hiring. It’s not just the income tax, which is sky-high (nearly 10%), but sales tax here is also nearly 10%. Throw property tax, vehicle fees and a host of others into the mix and, well, you get an economic calamity.
Things have gotten so bad that the state instituted a tax on your tax this year to “close” the budget gap. That’s right. They’re taxing you on the taxes you owe. What could possibly go wrong?
