Tax Man Cometh Soon

      Well, now,  California's taxpayers are getting some surprises with their tax refunds.   As in: the refunds are a lot smaller than expected or not existing at all.   Shocking.  But, thanks to federal changes and thanks to Jerry Brown, just retired Governor of the Once Golden State; we the People are paying up in shocking amounts.
      Much of the issue comes down to Pres. Trump's changes in amount of deductions for S.A.L.T.: sales taxes and real estate taxes for residential property.   He placed a $10,000 maximum on deductions for property taxes and sales taxes.  So, if you were among the 100,000's of home owners who purchased in the last few years in markets of California where PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE, you paid a high price for said home.  You paid this high price because the State Government and its legislature made home construction one of the most onerous jobs in the state.  And not because carpentry is difficult, but because getting the permit is near impossible no matter where you want to build.
      We in Tahoma face this permit issue everyday.  It began back in 1969 with the creation of the TRPB-the Tahoe regional Planning Board.  Given the power, they've exercised it to the point that only the 1%ers can afford to live in the basin.   The rest must live a long way from Highway 89.
So, we look at our tax returns and ask the question: "How did this happen?"   Proposition 13 was supposed to shield us from huge increases in tax bills, limited to 2% or less per year, depending on the inflation rate within the State.   The Trump White House claims that the rest of the country's taxpayers were subsidizing California's residents who were hit with ultra high property taxes.  To put the brakes on this subsidy, he limited the tax deduction to 10G's.   In effect, he gave us quite a bit more TAXABLE INCOME.  Yea.  Look how much we have made this year.  Oh, but wait.  That excess is going to Washington, D.C. to be redistributed to......To Whom or what?   Who ever knows isn't talking, just yet.  But you wait: when the figures come in, we middle class workers will see how much federal aid we sent to Washington versus how much Washington sent here.  And now he wants to take back some $985 billion sent here for the High Speed Train just cancelled by Gavin Newsom.
     Oh, the pain.  What about us?  Maybe Kamala will help.  Or DiFi?  Don't hold your breath, compadre.