So those of you who live in California, or any other state that is going broke, for that matter, know that a pretty major source of income for local communities seems to be parking tickets. I have no issues obeying laws and ordinances - even ones that I feel are stupid and serve no purpose, but I do take issue at being lied to about stated purposes.
My apartment in Newport Beach has no dedicated parking, so we park on the street. As with nearly every public street in So-Cal, there is a designated time once a week where there is no parking due to street sweeping - violating this policy results in a $50+ parking ticket... theoretically in order to PAY for the street sweeping. This wouldn't be that big of a deal if they actually SWEPT the streets! I have never actually seen a street sweeping vehicle go by, nor have I seen any indication that the streets are regularly maintained. This Monday - the day after New Years - when the streets were strewn with trash and debris, and the day there is no parking on the north side of my street, there were a multitude of tickets on careless driver's windshields, yet nothing had been cleaned - not even in open parts of the street where there is no parking - ever.
Yes, the state is broke. It has no money, and they need to create revenue, but they are going about it in entirely subversive ways. Increasing taxes on the top percentages (there was recently a push to tax more on those who make more than $1 million a year) just results in many of these top earners finding tax shelters, pushing their money out of state, or actually moving to places like Florida or Texas where there is no state income tax. These individuals pay the vast majority of existing tax revenues, and it makes sense to keep them in state, paying their taxes, rather than punishing them for success and forcing them out - taking their lucritive businesses and employment with them. Business taxes are also an issue - because of many of the laws required of small businesses in this state - businesses that hire workers and provide incomes for many in the state- many are being forced into failure, or are simply leaving for more agreeable environments. This results in even less tax revenue where it was a vain attempt at gaining more. I have discussed this in pervious posts, and though I wish to, will not go further into detail on THIS particular topic.
These traffic citations are of the same vein. Punishing citizens for arbitrary violations that are neither saftey nor civic minded is simply unethical. Making up laws as they go, and fishing for offenses in otherwise law abiding and right minded people simply perpetuates an us vs. them mentality that does no one any good. The real answer is to trim government spending, and put a limit on social welfare programs that just keep a huge portion of society in a dependent state. California is the most populated state in the US - but it has almost 1/3 of all welfare recipients. We have been touted as having the 6th largest economy in the world, yet we are completely broke. Does that make sense to anyone? Seems to me that this state, as a whole, is living well beyond it's considerable means. It is far too easy here to do absolutely nothing, and get paid for it, while those who work hard and try to succeed are hamstrung by regulation and control.
Absolutely agreed Marshall. The house I rented while in college had the same issues with parking. We lived on a street that was basically an island in the hood (it had gone downhill for decades; our neighbor found a body one morning while walking the dog). No work or cleaning was ever performed on that street, and it was among the last to ever get plowed in the winter. Yet, we had that same alternate parking deal. But get this: it changed EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. IIRC, it was at 1900 or something like that, which required you to either go outside and move the car or to sweat moving it early if you were going out for the night. I think all of us in the house got at least one ticket that way, and it sure wasn't cheap.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the way of things though. Law enforcement is a front for revenue. I have nothing but respect for the police, but how many times have you seen an unmarked car tucked away running radar? How is that more effective deterrence than a marked cruiser sitting right in the center of the median? Oh, but everyone but the most egregious tools slows down for that guy, so revenue is greatly reduced.
It all boils down to this: entitlements need to be cut. The government is here to provide for the common defence, not provide funds for individuals indefinitely. Start with term limits. While we're in the mood, add in aid limits--dollars or months, whichever comes first. Make disbursement of funds contingent on a clean drug test. If Joe Sixpack has to be drug-free to work and earn money, then Joe Unemployed ought to be drug-free to collect state funds.
Make the hard choice about illegal immigrants. Either enforce the damned laws and start deporting or decide what an acceptable naturalization rate is, change laws, and enforce them. California is particularly upside down on that issue.
Ugh, just thinking about it is spinning me up. It pisses me off to work hard and see others receive the fruits of my labor.