Property owners have an opportunity to directly inspect these occult additions to their property tax bill, but renters are usually unaware of the financial impact to their wallets. The increased costs to landlords are passed on to renters via increased rental rates. I appreciate the Current encouraging voters to read the tax statement before voting. So often the payment is included in the mortgage payment so property owners don’t take the time to scrutinize the bill.
It's come down now to national government warfare against its citizens vs local government warfare against its citizens. Ever wonder what you did to make your government hate you?
National warfare against us: Our army, which used to be there to protect us is now licensed under Department of Defense directive 5240.01, which means it can use lethal means on us citizens. But only if Democrats lose the election. Oh wait - they already have.
Local warfare against us: Our property taxes, which used to be there so our city of Santa Barbara could be kept up for our benefit is trying to license itself to raid our bank accounts solely for the benefit of its employees.
The difference between our national and local horror show is our vote can still save us locally. It remains to be seen in the coming weeks if that will be true nationally.
So: Vote no against all tax increases! Vote the Democrats out!
And I will always be grateful to Bonnie for all she has done and continues to do for this city.
During Covid with few contractors available, the City of SB building department forced us out of our house we paid $400K back in 1986, we sold for about $1.3M, then the new buyer rebuilt and sold for $4M in SB. Our rental was too small, so we sold the rental costing $130K in 1983 and sold $1.3M in Goleta. Through thievery, both SB gained a lot of money in property taxes. I plan to sue the City of SB for $67M. Ann and I are considered elderly on top of this. The first crooked contractor was "working" with the city and basically cost us $130K and did not correct one violation and made-up additional violations. The city inspector knew the contractor did lousy work and mentioned he wouldn't approve the work he did anyway. A second contractor came along and stole nearly $100K. The city is corrupt, no doubt about it. And the Dem oriented FBI has been working on a character assassination, to boot. Good Moring Santa Barbara!
Speaking of napalm, I recall the neighbor in back of the rental house mentioning about forty years ago he used Agent Orange on the weeds in his yard. His son brought some Agent Orange back from Vietnam. I was wondering if I was going to die from Agent Orange at the time. Of course, who could forget Robin Williams saying, "Good Morning, Vietnam!" when playing a DJ.
Thanks you, Bonnie, for so clearly pointing out the folly of agreeing to more bonds, and making tax increases easier for the socialists running our city and our state. This tsunami of red ink is making long time residents of the “ Golden State” regularly wonder if it’s time to pull up their tents stakes and move East. Thousands already have. We listened last night to Steve Hilton, and heard a faint glimmer of hope in his agenda for our state. If we don’t leave, we need to organize and convince our fellow taxpayers to stop the madness. Your diligence is appreciated
It isn't just taxes. The State in infinite stupidity has forces up insurance rates (this year 30+%).
Then there is the issue of enticements. An individual was getting $2 grand a month in welfare and refused to get a job. There is the Cacique Shelter that was supposed to b a small soup kitchen...anyone look at it recently?
So the City wants another 1/2% tax? So it can close down and narrow streets to further destroy tax producing and services for the community?
How much longer are the voters going to put up with it? Want to stop the professional elected? Pull their retirement and benefit packages. Then demand their wages are not based upon comparative government salaries, but based upon mid-level workers.
It can be done by initiative..... Stop playing Trick or Treat! with our money. Then you will find truly interested people on the Council, not professional politicians who only want more of your tax dollars.
Good Article Bonnie, per usual…today, October 25, 2024 is a Big Day in America…as forecast by the Remote Viewers (+ other seers), President Trump will sit down with Joe Rogan for an interview that will have a massive impact affect on the public’s consciousness, including breakthroughs for those still asleep & under the spells of the evildoers…this has been forecast for more than a decade as the turning point (4th Turning?) in throwing off the NWO slave grip on humanity…another Great Day for Our Country!
Government overspending starts at the top and it is accelerating. In January of this year, the Legislative Analyst's Office projected the 2024-25 budget shortfall of $58 Billion. They now project the overspending will be $73 Billion. This is a 26% increase in only 9-10 months.
There are 2,487,100 public sector workers in California. Breaking with the national trend of decreasing the number of public workers, the number of public workers in California has increased by 1.6% since 2020.
Why is this important? According to the Hoover Institution, in 2019, public sector workers earned an average of $143,000, while local government employees earned an average of $131,000 a year. But California private sector workers earned an average of about $71,000 a year. These figures include base pay, a well as overtime and the value of non-wage benefits such as employer paid pension/retirement contributions, healthcare and paid days off.
For over 50 years, public and private sector compensation rates were very similar, rising from roughly $17,000 in 1929 to about $45,000 in the early 80's. (both values are measured using 2008 dollars). But, after the early 80's compensation rates began to diverge, with public sector wages and benefits rising much faster than in the private sector over the past 40 years.
In the private sector, during the eighties, employers began to realize that defined-benefit pensions were unaffordable in the long run. People were living and working much longer than in the past and wages and benefits were increasing faster than in the past. Today, hardly any private sectors workers have defined benefit retirement pensions. Whereas almost all public workers have much more lucrative defined-benefit pensions and other retirement benefits. In addition, private sector employers live in multi-national competitive worlds, where the bottom line is the key to sheer survival an employment of people. CALPERS, and other public sector management services are constantly under water in managing funding for public center pension plans because the counties and cities cannot afford to fund them. The private sector demonstrated again that reality guides their decisions. But the public sector in California acts as though there will always be a bottomless pit of taxpayer's money that can be mined.
Much of these disparities might be attributed to Union/elected officials backscratching compacts.
Excellent summary Derek, thank you for illuminating these sad, but true facts. There is NO sugar coating the reality, which is we are heading for bankruptcy! Why is this hard for people to understand? The left controlled unions have voted in financial supremacy over the rest of us. We need legislative and judicial action NOW from our elected and appointed officials, otherwise it is insolvency.
What is needed is massive legal actions filed against our elected officials for breech of fiduciary duties!
As always, Bonnie, it's good to read your column whether to reinforce what we already know or to present new statistics. For those of us who are not inclined to look at the "fine print" in the doings of our local government that you are excellent in doing, thank you.
I tried to follow this up, and wrote to kthernandez@sbunified.org who replied "Santa Barbara Unified does not have a parcel tax. Perhaps you mean Hope School District? They are the only district who has a parcel tax and an exemption for seniors."
Property owners have an opportunity to directly inspect these occult additions to their property tax bill, but renters are usually unaware of the financial impact to their wallets. The increased costs to landlords are passed on to renters via increased rental rates. I appreciate the Current encouraging voters to read the tax statement before voting. So often the payment is included in the mortgage payment so property owners don’t take the time to scrutinize the bill.
It's come down now to national government warfare against its citizens vs local government warfare against its citizens. Ever wonder what you did to make your government hate you?
National warfare against us: Our army, which used to be there to protect us is now licensed under Department of Defense directive 5240.01, which means it can use lethal means on us citizens. But only if Democrats lose the election. Oh wait - they already have.
Local warfare against us: Our property taxes, which used to be there so our city of Santa Barbara could be kept up for our benefit is trying to license itself to raid our bank accounts solely for the benefit of its employees.
The difference between our national and local horror show is our vote can still save us locally. It remains to be seen in the coming weeks if that will be true nationally.
So: Vote no against all tax increases! Vote the Democrats out!
And I will always be grateful to Bonnie for all she has done and continues to do for this city.
During Covid with few contractors available, the City of SB building department forced us out of our house we paid $400K back in 1986, we sold for about $1.3M, then the new buyer rebuilt and sold for $4M in SB. Our rental was too small, so we sold the rental costing $130K in 1983 and sold $1.3M in Goleta. Through thievery, both SB gained a lot of money in property taxes. I plan to sue the City of SB for $67M. Ann and I are considered elderly on top of this. The first crooked contractor was "working" with the city and basically cost us $130K and did not correct one violation and made-up additional violations. The city inspector knew the contractor did lousy work and mentioned he wouldn't approve the work he did anyway. A second contractor came along and stole nearly $100K. The city is corrupt, no doubt about it. And the Dem oriented FBI has been working on a character assassination, to boot. Good Moring Santa Barbara!
Lol! “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”!
Speaking of napalm, I recall the neighbor in back of the rental house mentioning about forty years ago he used Agent Orange on the weeds in his yard. His son brought some Agent Orange back from Vietnam. I was wondering if I was going to die from Agent Orange at the time. Of course, who could forget Robin Williams saying, "Good Morning, Vietnam!" when playing a DJ.
Thanks you, Bonnie, for so clearly pointing out the folly of agreeing to more bonds, and making tax increases easier for the socialists running our city and our state. This tsunami of red ink is making long time residents of the “ Golden State” regularly wonder if it’s time to pull up their tents stakes and move East. Thousands already have. We listened last night to Steve Hilton, and heard a faint glimmer of hope in his agenda for our state. If we don’t leave, we need to organize and convince our fellow taxpayers to stop the madness. Your diligence is appreciated
It isn't just taxes. The State in infinite stupidity has forces up insurance rates (this year 30+%).
Then there is the issue of enticements. An individual was getting $2 grand a month in welfare and refused to get a job. There is the Cacique Shelter that was supposed to b a small soup kitchen...anyone look at it recently?
So the City wants another 1/2% tax? So it can close down and narrow streets to further destroy tax producing and services for the community?
How much longer are the voters going to put up with it? Want to stop the professional elected? Pull their retirement and benefit packages. Then demand their wages are not based upon comparative government salaries, but based upon mid-level workers.
It can be done by initiative..... Stop playing Trick or Treat! with our money. Then you will find truly interested people on the Council, not professional politicians who only want more of your tax dollars.
Good Article Bonnie, per usual…today, October 25, 2024 is a Big Day in America…as forecast by the Remote Viewers (+ other seers), President Trump will sit down with Joe Rogan for an interview that will have a massive impact affect on the public’s consciousness, including breakthroughs for those still asleep & under the spells of the evildoers…this has been forecast for more than a decade as the turning point (4th Turning?) in throwing off the NWO slave grip on humanity…another Great Day for Our Country!
Sauce —> https://x.com/theofficial_ffg/status/1849198233764889053?s=61
Have a Great Day! https://x.com/fnowisthetime/status/1786832203516952819?s=61
PS…November is UFO/Space Aliens (and secret space programs) exposure kickoff…
Government overspending starts at the top and it is accelerating. In January of this year, the Legislative Analyst's Office projected the 2024-25 budget shortfall of $58 Billion. They now project the overspending will be $73 Billion. This is a 26% increase in only 9-10 months.
There are 2,487,100 public sector workers in California. Breaking with the national trend of decreasing the number of public workers, the number of public workers in California has increased by 1.6% since 2020.
Why is this important? According to the Hoover Institution, in 2019, public sector workers earned an average of $143,000, while local government employees earned an average of $131,000 a year. But California private sector workers earned an average of about $71,000 a year. These figures include base pay, a well as overtime and the value of non-wage benefits such as employer paid pension/retirement contributions, healthcare and paid days off.
For over 50 years, public and private sector compensation rates were very similar, rising from roughly $17,000 in 1929 to about $45,000 in the early 80's. (both values are measured using 2008 dollars). But, after the early 80's compensation rates began to diverge, with public sector wages and benefits rising much faster than in the private sector over the past 40 years.
In the private sector, during the eighties, employers began to realize that defined-benefit pensions were unaffordable in the long run. People were living and working much longer than in the past and wages and benefits were increasing faster than in the past. Today, hardly any private sectors workers have defined benefit retirement pensions. Whereas almost all public workers have much more lucrative defined-benefit pensions and other retirement benefits. In addition, private sector employers live in multi-national competitive worlds, where the bottom line is the key to sheer survival an employment of people. CALPERS, and other public sector management services are constantly under water in managing funding for public center pension plans because the counties and cities cannot afford to fund them. The private sector demonstrated again that reality guides their decisions. But the public sector in California acts as though there will always be a bottomless pit of taxpayer's money that can be mined.
Much of these disparities might be attributed to Union/elected officials backscratching compacts.
Excellent summary Derek, thank you for illuminating these sad, but true facts. There is NO sugar coating the reality, which is we are heading for bankruptcy! Why is this hard for people to understand? The left controlled unions have voted in financial supremacy over the rest of us. We need legislative and judicial action NOW from our elected and appointed officials, otherwise it is insolvency.
What is needed is massive legal actions filed against our elected officials for breech of fiduciary duties!
Thank you Bonnie for pointing out the obvious conflicts of interest and the chicanery of the one party state!
As always, Bonnie, it's good to read your column whether to reinforce what we already know or to present new statistics. For those of us who are not inclined to look at the "fine print" in the doings of our local government that you are excellent in doing, thank you.
Wait just a dang minute, how do I, a septuagenarian, OPT OUT of my parcel taxes? Do tell !!!
The Unified School District? Their website says nothing about taxes.
I tried to follow this up, and wrote to kthernandez@sbunified.org who replied "Santa Barbara Unified does not have a parcel tax. Perhaps you mean Hope School District? They are the only district who has a parcel tax and an exemption for seniors."