[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]  Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD [@houmanhemmati](/creator/twitter/houmanhemmati) on x 71.2K followers Created: 2025-07-21 02:07:02 UTC Oh, the @GavinNewsom @GovPressOffice, peddling this fairy tale that "most working families pay less in taxes in California than in Texas"? What a load of Newsom-grade propaganda! Sure, some wonky "effective rate" studies twist numbers to make it sound progressive, but in reality? Californians get crushed under a mountain of taxes—regardless of income—and get jack squat in return. First, sales taxes: Up to a brutal XXXXX% in places like LA County, hitting EVERYONE on every purchase, rich or poor. No "progressive" escape hatch here—it's regressive AF and way higher than Texas's max 8.25%. Groceries? Gas? Diapers? Taxed to oblivion. Gas taxes? California reigns supreme as the HIGHEST in the nation at over XX cents per gallon (excise + fees), jacking up prices to $5+ a gallon while Texans cruise at under $X. And that just spiked again in July 2025. Thanks for the "green" gouge! Utility taxes? Sneaky add-ons like the 4.5-10% Utility User Tax in many cities and counties, piled on your sky-high electric and gas bills (already the nation's priciest thanks to "renewable" mandates). Texas? Minimal to none. Enjoy freezing in the dark while paying extra for the privilege. Property taxes? Yeah, the rate's "low" at ~1.25% but with insane home prices ($715k median), the average Californian forks over $XXXXX a YEAR—way more dollars than Texas's $XXXXX average on cheaper homes. Many in CA pay $10-100k a year! It's a wealth trap disguised as relief. Income taxes? Zero in Texas, but California's top rate is a soul-crushing 13.3%, plus a X% mental health surcharge over $1M (ironic, since living here drives you nuts), effectively XXXX% for high earners. Even middle-class folks get hit with brackets up to 9.3%. No wonder businesses are bolting! Business taxes? California ranks DEAD LAST (48th worst) in business tax climate, with an XXXX% corporate rate that's a job-killing machine. Texas? Welcoming entrepreneurs with open arms and no income tax. And what do we get for this tax hell? A utopian paradise? HA! Crumbling roads ranked 49th worst in the nation—potholes big enough to swallow your Tesla. Highest unemployment at XXX% (tied for worst), while Texas hums at 4.1%. Lowest literacy rate in America at 76.9%—our kids can't read, but hey, at least they're "diverse." Homelessness? A staggering XXXXXXX people on the streets—28% of the ENTIRE U.S. total—turning sidewalks into tent cities. Crime? Violent rates at XXX per 100k, with smash-and-grabs and carjackings as daily rituals, outpacing Texas in chaos per capita. Quality of life? Ranked among the WORST states—high costs, pollution, and stress making it a dystopian nightmare. Newsom's California: Taxed to death, services in the gutter. Families aren't "paying less"—they're paying MORE for LESS. XXXXXX engagements  [Post Link](https://x.com/houmanhemmati/status/1947116075038261665)
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Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD @houmanhemmati on x 71.2K followers
Created: 2025-07-21 02:07:02 UTC
Oh, the @GavinNewsom @GovPressOffice, peddling this fairy tale that "most working families pay less in taxes in California than in Texas"? What a load of Newsom-grade propaganda!
Sure, some wonky "effective rate" studies twist numbers to make it sound progressive, but in reality? Californians get crushed under a mountain of taxes—regardless of income—and get jack squat in return.
First, sales taxes: Up to a brutal XXXXX% in places like LA County, hitting EVERYONE on every purchase, rich or poor. No "progressive" escape hatch here—it's regressive AF and way higher than Texas's max 8.25%. Groceries? Gas? Diapers? Taxed to oblivion.
Gas taxes? California reigns supreme as the HIGHEST in the nation at over XX cents per gallon (excise + fees), jacking up prices to $5+ a gallon while Texans cruise at under $X. And that just spiked again in July 2025. Thanks for the "green" gouge!
Utility taxes? Sneaky add-ons like the 4.5-10% Utility User Tax in many cities and counties, piled on your sky-high electric and gas bills (already the nation's priciest thanks to "renewable" mandates). Texas? Minimal to none. Enjoy freezing in the dark while paying extra for the privilege.
Property taxes? Yeah, the rate's "low" at ~1.25% but with insane home prices ($715k median), the average Californian forks over $XXXXX a YEAR—way more dollars than Texas's $XXXXX average on cheaper homes. Many in CA pay $10-100k a year! It's a wealth trap disguised as relief.
Income taxes? Zero in Texas, but California's top rate is a soul-crushing 13.3%, plus a X% mental health surcharge over $1M (ironic, since living here drives you nuts), effectively XXXX% for high earners. Even middle-class folks get hit with brackets up to 9.3%. No wonder businesses are bolting!
Business taxes? California ranks DEAD LAST (48th worst) in business tax climate, with an XXXX% corporate rate that's a job-killing machine. Texas? Welcoming entrepreneurs with open arms and no income tax.
And what do we get for this tax hell? A utopian paradise? HA! Crumbling roads ranked 49th worst in the nation—potholes big enough to swallow your Tesla. Highest unemployment at XXX% (tied for worst), while Texas hums at 4.1%. Lowest literacy rate in America at 76.9%—our kids can't read, but hey, at least they're "diverse." Homelessness? A staggering XXXXXXX people on the streets—28% of the ENTIRE U.S. total—turning sidewalks into tent cities. Crime? Violent rates at XXX per 100k, with smash-and-grabs and carjackings as daily rituals, outpacing Texas in chaos per capita. Quality of life? Ranked among the WORST states—high costs, pollution, and stress making it a dystopian nightmare.
Newsom's California: Taxed to death, services in the gutter. Families aren't "paying less"—they're paying MORE for LESS.
XXXXXX engagements
