Why is California changing its "taxes" into "fees"?

Question

Wow. No more taxes. Only fees. Stupid California hippies want to change taxes into fees so they sound better. Actually a fee has to be connected to an improvement in service. The latest is a "$150" fire fee. No added trucks, service, or anything. Just a $150 "fee". Have fun stupid hippies.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-fire-fee-likely-to-kindle-ire-3777487.php

Answer 1

Fees don't require a 2/3rds vote of approval in California's legislature like taxes.



Did you hear? Apple decided in the end to build their new 300,000 square foot r&d facility in California instead of Texas due to a dramatically better pool of educated labor available. Most recently, Samsung announced, after considering several possible locations for their new r&d facility, to also settle in California due to the large quantity of advance degreed individuals available.

So Chuck, that would be smart hippies and thanks! We are having fun.



EDIT

Yes, that's accurate Chuck. If you look at California's history from the '70s oil embargo through Carter's stagflation, the S&L Crisis and the DotCom bubble, California sheds jobs like crazy then comes back stronger than ever. Happens time and time again. Since your report in January of this year, we've turned the corner once again. Even at our worst, we were the eighth largest economy in the world, roughly twice Texas.

Answer 2

Window dressing, pure and simple. They can fee you to death and then brag about not having raised taxes. But that game can backfire. The liberal jurisdiction in which I live introduced a so-called Healthcare "Premium." The public service unions said no problem, our contract requires the government to pay any kind of premium. Oops! Suddenly the "premium" became a "tax!"

Answer 3

Yeah, everyone from California is a stupid hippie, especially that Nixon and Reagan. Hated them then, hate them now.

Answer 4

It isn't.