Whether or not you are a homeowner, you probably hear quite a bit about Proposition 13. Did you know that Prop 13 says your property tax cannot go up more than 2% per year, no matter how high inflation gets? Since Prop 13 was passed in 1978, inflation has usually been higher than 2%, so California homeowners have come to expect their 2% per year incease in their property taxes.
The only divergence from 2% was in 1999 when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) went up 1.85% and in 2004 when the CPI Went up 1.86%.
We may, however, be looking at brand new ground for Porposition 13 this year. The CPI calculation year runs Novermber to October, and is currently running a negative amount for the year so far. While the language of Prop 13 does not address negative inflation, logic would dictate that if a 2% gain results in a 2% increase, a 2% decline should result in a 2% decrease.
Good news, right? It would be except, everything that I am reading is saying that the State of Taxifornia is just not going to allow that to happen. There is no official word from the State Taxislature or Board Of Taxilization at this point, but be ready for some property tax controversy once the CPI year officially closes at the end of October.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Under ObamaCare, You MUST Have Health Insurance, Or You Will Pay A Tax...
I want to give you something to think about today as you get ready to start a new work week. Let's think about car insurance for a second. Do you remember a time when you you were not required by state law to have car insurance? I honestly don't, but I hear from those older and wiser in the tribe that this used to be the case. So, here I sit today, having been a licensed driver in the state of California for going on 19 years, and have never had an at-fault accident where my insurance company has had to pay out for an accident that was my doing, yet if I want to get behind the wheel of a car, I need to go out and buy some car insurance, otherwise I am breaking the law...even more so than normal. My alternative? Stop driving, or leave California.
With everything that is going on right now with healthcare reform, why in the world am I talking about car insurance? Well, wait for it...I'm getting there. Say HR 3200 passes, but you don't want health insurance...you just happen to be one of the people that either doesn't care enough to have it, wants to pay cash at the doctor, or God bless you, has enough money that you just don't need it. What we all know is that if you make over $350,000 a year, you're going to be one of the people paying for HR 3200, but one thing that I am sure none of us know is that if you do not have health insurance and are living legally in the United States of America, and do not enroll yourself in the public option or buy a policy through the National Exchange when they become available, you are going to be paying a tax of 2.5% of your adjusted gross income for the taxable year. I know that's a long sentence, but feel free to read it again. Just like HR 3200, there's a hidden tax in there.
There are some loopholes:
- Prove that your religion does not believe in health insurance
- Have your tax pro-rated if you are covered part of the year
- You don't have to pay the tax on dependents, regardless of their coverage
- The 2.5% tax will not exceed what the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines to be the national average health care premium cost for you
To summarize, if you're just someone who does not want health insurance and you don't want the public option, or to pick from the National Insurance Exchange, you're going to be taxed for your decision. Kind of makes it seem like if you're unemployed and not of wealthy means, they are going to force you into one of the government-run healthcare programs. You are going to be required to have health insurance just like you are required to have car insurance, otherwise, you will be paying an additional 2.5% to Uncle Sam when it is Tax Day. Your alternative? Leave the country.
Now, I know this is going to effect a very small percentage of Americans as close to 90% of us are still working and getting insurance through work, or are covered by some other government program, etc., etc., but here is just one more government-controlled thing in life.
You will soon be required to have health insurance. If we just continue to sit back and let government tell us what to do and how to live our lives, eventually, they will control everything. Never happen? I bet there were a lot of Germans saying that in 1933, too. How about instead of just drawing Hitler mustaches on everyone's pictures, we do a little research, study some history, and get the facts?
I do not want government telling me what I need to buy, what I need to drive, what I should be eating, where I should be going, and charging me a hell of a lot of taxes for a hell of a lot less freedom. Sadly, however, I think you had better get used to it America! With each passing year, government is going to force more and more upon you...
It is not a pretty read, but it is there in black and white in Section 401 of HR 3200...
With everything that is going on right now with healthcare reform, why in the world am I talking about car insurance? Well, wait for it...I'm getting there. Say HR 3200 passes, but you don't want health insurance...you just happen to be one of the people that either doesn't care enough to have it, wants to pay cash at the doctor, or God bless you, has enough money that you just don't need it. What we all know is that if you make over $350,000 a year, you're going to be one of the people paying for HR 3200, but one thing that I am sure none of us know is that if you do not have health insurance and are living legally in the United States of America, and do not enroll yourself in the public option or buy a policy through the National Exchange when they become available, you are going to be paying a tax of 2.5% of your adjusted gross income for the taxable year. I know that's a long sentence, but feel free to read it again. Just like HR 3200, there's a hidden tax in there.
There are some loopholes:
- Prove that your religion does not believe in health insurance
- Have your tax pro-rated if you are covered part of the year
- You don't have to pay the tax on dependents, regardless of their coverage
- The 2.5% tax will not exceed what the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines to be the national average health care premium cost for you
To summarize, if you're just someone who does not want health insurance and you don't want the public option, or to pick from the National Insurance Exchange, you're going to be taxed for your decision. Kind of makes it seem like if you're unemployed and not of wealthy means, they are going to force you into one of the government-run healthcare programs. You are going to be required to have health insurance just like you are required to have car insurance, otherwise, you will be paying an additional 2.5% to Uncle Sam when it is Tax Day. Your alternative? Leave the country.
Now, I know this is going to effect a very small percentage of Americans as close to 90% of us are still working and getting insurance through work, or are covered by some other government program, etc., etc., but here is just one more government-controlled thing in life.
You will soon be required to have health insurance. If we just continue to sit back and let government tell us what to do and how to live our lives, eventually, they will control everything. Never happen? I bet there were a lot of Germans saying that in 1933, too. How about instead of just drawing Hitler mustaches on everyone's pictures, we do a little research, study some history, and get the facts?
I do not want government telling me what I need to buy, what I need to drive, what I should be eating, where I should be going, and charging me a hell of a lot of taxes for a hell of a lot less freedom. Sadly, however, I think you had better get used to it America! With each passing year, government is going to force more and more upon you...
It is not a pretty read, but it is there in black and white in Section 401 of HR 3200...
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