San Francisco is a ****hole.

Franz Von Peppercorn · 11-03-2019 10:55am

rossie1977 wrote: »

Everyone should pay their fair share. Amazon paid zero tax last year and got nearly $130 million in tax back despite making over $11 billion in revenue.

The rest of your post is correct but its possible to make lots of revenue and no profit.

Grayson · 11-03-2019 12:23pm

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

You are confusing liberalism with socialism. Had the red mist not descended because your religion of neoliberalism was criticised, however mildly, and you had read my next post then you would I criticised the natives of SF for their extreme Nimbyism.

See, that's part of the problem with US politics. Everything gets conflated into one side or the other. So although part of the problem with SF is the large disparity in wages, people assume it's a socialist state. It's not. their financial policies really reward the rich, especially the tech workers. Sure it's liberal in regards to sexuality, weed and stuff like that, but financially it's quite conservative, especially by european standards.

Grayson · 11-03-2019 12:24pm

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

The rest of your post is correct but its possible to make lots of revenue and no profit.

But amazon made profit. the 11bn was actually profit

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/15/amazon-tax-bill-2018-no-taxes-despite-billions-profit

Franz Von Peppercorn · 11-03-2019 1:21pm

Grayson wrote: »

But amazon made profit. the 11bn was actually profit

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/15/amazon-tax-bill-2018-no-taxes-despite-billions-profit

I see. I know that some countries allow businesses to offset losses against future profits, that is you pay tax on profits but you get tax credits on losses which can be carried forward. That’s not a bad idea but a limit is perhaps required.

MayoSalmon · 11-03-2019 4:54pm

Grayson wrote: »

See, that's part of the problem with US politics. Everything gets conflated into one side or the other. So although part of the problem with SF is the large disparity in wages, people assume it's a socialist state. It's not. their financial policies really reward the rich, especially the tech workers. Sure it's liberal in regards to sexuality, weed and stuff like that, but financially it's quite conservative, especially by european standards.

Except its not and taxes in California are among the highest in the US.

10% sales tax highest in US

4th highest tax burden of all the fifty states

Highest petrol taxes in the states.

Apparently the richest 5% of CA state taxpayers paid approximately 70% of income taxes in 2018

Nothing conservative about CA it resembles a Socialist West European nation is regards to it taxation structure.

The Satanist · 11-03-2019 11:17pm

Who'da thunk a mayor named "London" would be such a cool cat?!

San Francisco honours McGuinness for ‘courageous service in the military’
City administration issues posthumous certificate of honour for former IRA man

Martin McGuinness has been posthumously awarded by the City of San Francisco for his “courageous service in the military”.

The certificate of honour was issued by San Francisco on Friday and is the American equivalent of the freedom of the city.

The certificate is signed by the Democratic mayor of San Francisco London Breed.

Ms Breed signed the parchment “on the national day of Ireland” though St Patrick’s Day is a week away.

It praises Mr McGuinness’s role in the Northern Ireland peace process and in the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr McGuinness was deputy first minister in the now defunct Stormont executive from 2007 to 2017.

It states: “Martin’s courageous service in the military and as a negotiator helped cement and shape the Northern Ireland peace process and construct the Good Friday Agreement.

“His sacrifice and dedication to secure peace for his people is not only an inspiration to us all, but represents San Francisco values at their best. He leaves a legacy that embodies and celebrates the diverse history and strength of San Francisco and Ireland.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/san-francisco-honours-mcguinness-for-courageous-service-in-the-military-1.3821096?mode=amp

kneemos · 11-03-2019 11:20pm

The Satanist wrote: »

Who'da thunk a mayor named "London" would be such a cool cat?!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/san-francisco-honours-mcguinness-for-courageous-service-in-the-military-1.3821096?mode=amp

Irish American.

Manic Moran · 12-03-2019 6:21pm

Courageous role in the military!? I note that the article does not mention that this award in any way was endorsed by the Irish consul general in San Francisco, I can’t imagine he would have let that slide. Peace process, sure, but military?

I note the mayor is now issuing apologies.

As I look back over the local all-news station podcasts, there are now more drug addicts on SF’s streets than there are children enrolled in the city’s schools. [edit. High schools]

SF also has its own political issues. The SF police are pretty much the only major department in the US not to issue tasers, there is great opposition from those who believe it will lead to overuse, or who believe that they are more lethal than advertised. On the other hand, .40 caliber Smith and Wesson rounds which the police are allowed to use are seemingly quite lethal, and any shooting, even justified, results in uproar. Similarly, BART last year finally started a fare evasion crackdown. You know, like on Luas. Inspector gets on the train and asks everyone for their proof of fare. Came under immediate fire once the results were out, because most of the citations went to black people, so the fare evasion process must be inherently racist..

NSAman · 12-03-2019 6:25pm

The Satanist wrote: »

Who'da thunk a mayor named "London" would be such a cool cat?!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/san-francisco-honours-mcguinness-for-courageous-service-in-the-military-1.3821096?mode=amp

See this is what happens when uneducated people get into places of influence.... silly cow

Grayson · 12-03-2019 6:35pm

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Except its not and taxes in California are among the highest in the US.

10% sales tax highest in US

4th highest tax burden of all the fifty states

Highest petrol taxes in the states.

Apparently the richest 5% of CA state taxpayers paid approximately 70% of income taxes in 2018

Nothing conservative about CA it resembles a Socialist West European nation is regards to it taxation structure.

They pay a lot less than europe. And 10% VAT? get out of it would ya.

Chuck 100k into a tax calculator for california and for Ireland. You'll see how different the tax rates are.

https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#XDOIqQwcQw

https://www.pwc.ie/budget-2019-ireland/income-tax-calculator.html

The fact that it's 4th highest in the US is nothing to compare it to since the US is a low taxation country.

DS86DS · 12-03-2019 6:46pm

Anywhere full to the brim with Leftists is bound to be a sh!thole. Give Liberals control over a safe and prosperous community, and within the space of a year it will turn into a dump.

Seanachai · 12-03-2019 6:50pm

I don't think we're in a position to shame anybody about shyte on the streets, North Dublin city is covered in dog s**t. It's actually formed a mosaic in some areas.

12-03-2019 6:54pm

Manic Moran wrote: »

.......... there are now more drug addicts on SF’s streets than there are children enrolled in the city’s schools..............

:eek:

Wow, frightening.
Does that number not include suburban schools. As in is it a misleading/literal one or an actual real life stat.
Like, Dublin City probably has few enough schools relative to the Co Dublin which is suburbia

metaoblivia · 12-03-2019 6:59pm

Augeo wrote: »

:eek:

Wow, frightening.
Does that number not include suburban schools. As in is it a misleading/literal one or an actual real life stat.
Like, Dublin City probably has few enough schools relative to the Co Dublin which is suburbia

I'm also interested to see if it includes private schools because every person I know who has kids and lives in SF sends them to private schools. I can't think of a single colleague who sends their kids to public schools in SF (which is its own issue, in fairness).

Franz Von Peppercorn · 12-03-2019 8:27pm

Grayson wrote: »

They pay a lot less than europe. And 10% VAT? get out of it would ya.

Chuck 100k into a tax calculator for california and for Ireland. You'll see how different the tax rates are.

https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#XDOIqQwcQw

https://www.pwc.ie/budget-2019-ireland/income-tax-calculator.html

The fact that it's 4th highest in the US is nothing to compare it to since the US is a low taxation country.

It adds up with federal tax though.

Manic Moran · 12-03-2019 8:49pm

SF is both a city and county, the borders are the same. (i.e. San Francisco City covers 100% of San Francisco County.). Thus it constitutes both the financial district as well as housing districts. The population of SF is just shy of 900,000. However, now I look in depth, the figure is actually high school students. That population of just under a million is served by 15 public high schools with a student body of just under 16,000 children. The drug addict population of the city is some 25,000.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/philmatier/article/San-Francisco-where-street-addicts-outnumber-13571702.php

Some quick googling indicates 34 private high schools in SF with a total student population of just over 9,000. So it seems that the drug addict and high school populations are about equal.

MayoSalmon · 13-03-2019 10:34am

Grayson wrote: »

They pay a lot less than europe. And 10% VAT? get out of it would ya.

Chuck 100k into a tax calculator for california and for Ireland. You'll see how different the tax rates are.

https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#XDOIqQwcQw

https://www.pwc.ie/budget-2019-ireland/income-tax-calculator.html

The fact that it's 4th highest in the US is nothing to compare it to since the US is a low taxation country.

Of course they do...Western European countries are HUGE welfare states but in comparision to the rest of the states California is most similar.

MarkY91 · 13-03-2019 10:41am

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Aww this thread really upsets me.

I've never been to the US before and finally heading there for the very first time this summer and decided to pick San Francisco as my first American city. Been saving up for it for a few months now.

People bad mouth SF but I look into considering LA instead people moan about that saying its souless, has no real city centre. I look at Vegas and people call that fake, overrated, tacky etc.

It seems like every city in the US is hated one way or another.

I've only been to Last Vegas and knew of the homeless issue before going. I never think of Vegas as a real city, I think of it as a giant resort that isn't based on reality. So with that frame of mind, it was impossible to think of it as a ****hole like I likely would with SF. My brother and I loved Vegas, walk-in down the strip, seeing all the lights were amazing.

Does it have a lot of homelessness?..yes. they hang around at the bridges over the highway. My brother and I had drunken conversations with them at stupid o clock when stumbling to our hotel from the club's. They actually left me with fond memories.

Seanachai · 13-03-2019 10:55am

https://unavitavagabonda.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/myep/

Franz Von Peppercorn · 13-03-2019 12:35pm

Seanachai wrote: »

https://unavitavagabonda.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/myep/

But what if the yuppies are immigrants.

Grayson · 13-03-2019 12:57pm

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

It adds up with federal tax though.

That tax calculator includes federal taxes.

Deise Vu · 13-03-2019 1:02pm

In the five days I was in SF a while back I witnessed two crimes being committed as I walked out of my hotel and spent my days dodging the homeless beggars. The best thing I can say about it is that it gave me an enormous appreciation of overtaxed, nanny state Ireland. A glimpse of a world where billionaires and beggars share what was probably once a beautiful city was an absolute shock. For the life of me I cannot understand how wealthy Americans cannot see it is actually in their interests to pay taxes to support infrastructure, education and social supports. Even simple stuff that you just assume Americans take for granted such as their cars: on our last day we had to get up at about 5AM to catch our flight. The freeway was chock a block with people going to work trying to avoid the rush hour!!! What kind of life is that?

No thanks, and all this was Before Trump. I wouldn't take a present of a weekend there now, it must be reaching meltdown point.

TheIrishGrover · 13-03-2019 1:21pm

Sonics2k wrote: »

Quick, blame the Liberals and Feminists!

Don't forget the gays!!!! (Or are all liberals and feminists gay and the other way around?)

Anyway, YEAH. Damn liberals and feminists with their gay bikes and foreign cars!

Straight 'Murica First!

DEFTLEFTHAND · 13-03-2019 2:01pm

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Don't forget the gays!!!! (Or are all liberals and feminists gay and the other way around?)

Anyway, YEAH. Damn liberals and feminists with their gay bikes and foreign cars!

Straight 'Murica First!

Yep, They don't call it Gay Bay for nothing.

Manic Moran · 13-03-2019 5:16pm

Grayson wrote: »

They pay a lot less than europe. And 10% VAT? get out of it would ya.

Chuck 100k into a tax calculator for california and for Ireland. You'll see how different the tax rates are.

https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#XDOIqQwcQw

https://www.pwc.ie/budget-2019-ireland/income-tax-calculator.html

The fact that it's 4th highest in the US is nothing to compare it to since the US is a low taxation country.

It's a little difficult to make a direct comparison like that. States and cities get their revenue sources from different streams than Ireland. For example, in Dublin, California, I was paying over $9,000 a year on property tax for my (very small) house, at a valuation of some $660,000. Convert that to Euro, and myh ouse is in the 550-600k tax band for Dublin City Council: 879 euro, almost exactly $1,000. Suddenly my California tax bill is higher than my Irish one, on the basis of a $100k income with no modifiers on those calculators above.

Now I'm in Texas, I don't pay State income tax at all. The theory is, Texas doesn't think you should be penalised for working. The Feds still take $23,000, so on that $100,000 income, I get an extra $6,000 take-home pay. However, Texas does think that if you own a stake in Texas, you should be contributing. So, on a similar-valued (granted, much larger) house here in Bexar County, the tax bill is about $19,000, bringing my tax bill up to $42,000.... higher than in California, and also higher than in Ireland by those calculators. On the other hand, it's a flat rate: Once I'm paying my homestead, any other income from family members such as the wife (or tenants) is not taxed.

But wait, there's more.
Car tax in California... DMV were looking to get over $1000 from me for my cars, but in Texas... $150. On the other hand, I drive V8 engines, so I believe my Irish motor tax per year would probably be higher than that. Sales/VAT, higher in Ireland. There are so many variables.

As you can see, it is incorrect to give a blanket statement that we pay less tax in the US, even in 'low tax states' like Texas.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 13-03-2019 5:40pm

Sounds like a dream of a State MM. They actually reward hard work and personal responsibility.

Grayson · 13-03-2019 5:49pm

Manic Moran wrote: »

It's a little difficult to make a direct comparison like that. States and cities get their revenue sources from different streams than Ireland. For example, in Dublin, California, I was paying over $9,000 a year on property tax for my (very small) house, at a valuation of some $660,000. Convert that to Euro, and myh ouse is in the 550-600k tax band for Dublin City Council: 879 euro, almost exactly $1,000. Suddenly my California tax bill is higher than my Irish one, on the basis of a $100k income with no modifiers on those calculators above.

Now I'm in Texas, I don't pay State income tax at all. The theory is, Texas doesn't think you should be penalised for working. The Feds still take $23,000, so on that $100,000 income, I get an extra $6,000 take-home pay. However, Texas does think that if you own a stake in Texas, you should be contributing. So, on a similar-valued (granted, much larger) house here in Bexar County, the tax bill is about $19,000, bringing my tax bill up to $42,000.... higher than in California, and also higher than in Ireland by those calculators. On the other hand, it's a flat rate: Once I'm paying my homestead, any other income from family members such as the wife (or tenants) is not taxed.

But wait, there's more.
Car tax in California... DMV were looking to get over $1000 from me for my cars, but in Texas... $150. On the other hand, I drive V8 engines, so I believe my Irish motor tax per year would probably be higher than that. Sales/VAT, higher in Ireland. There are so many variables.

As you can see, it is incorrect to give a blanket statement that we pay less tax in the US, even in 'low tax states' like Texas.

I understand that, I mentioned earlier in the thread that a lot of taxes over there are local taxes and the problem with that is that it's used locally. It means that in a poor neighbourhood theres less money for basic services than there is in a rich neighbourhood.

Also, how the hell did you find a place that cheap in Dublin/Pleasanton.

James Brown · 13-03-2019 5:51pm

Leighton Ashy Patio wrote: »

And there's me thinking the decline of the automobile industry is what led to Detroit being in such a bad way.

And by decline we're talking the SJW liberal board at Ford motors not making enough profit, so closing it. Typical Trots.

Like the lilly livers at Walmart who pay their staff so little many are on state aid payed for by the tax payer.

Manic Moran · 13-03-2019 6:15pm

Grayson wrote: »

Also, how the hell did you find a place that cheap in Dublin/Pleasanton.

It was four years ago, during the low season (October/November). People tend not to buy houses at the beginning of the school year. It's currently valued at shy of $900k. However, due to Prop 13, I still pay the taxes based on close to the original purchase price.

donaghs · 08-04-2023 9:37am

The founder of the "Cash App" was stabbed to death a few days ago in the streets of San Francisco (Rincon Hill). He had moved to Florida but was in SF for a tech summit.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/07/bob-lee-cash-app-stabbing-details-public-safety-san-francisco

The following day a former city official was badly beaten with a metal pole by homeless men outside his mother's house

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/marina-sf-crime-attack-fire-commissioner-17883532.php

These are high profile stories, but there seems to be a general tolerance of "low level crime".

https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/oakland-restaurant-crime-17853932.php

https://sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/cnn-crews-car-broken-into-while-filming-about-sfs-crime-woes

San Francisco is a ****hole.

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