News/talk ratings skyrocketing due to high gas prices

[davideduardo]

Meanwhile if you live in California, the price of gas will go up 3 more cents due to a state gas tax hike:

Prepare to pay more for gas in California starting today as tax increases

Gas prices in California will go up about 3 cents on July 1 due to the state's excise tax on gasoline, which is adjusted each year.

www.latimes.com

But the Gov'nor is giving a gas tax rebate of up to $1044 to certain qualifying families. Those who are in white collar jobs and professionals, who paid the most in taxes, will get nothing.

 

[gr8oldies]

Whether gas is $5 a gallon or $2 a gallon on average, you'll always find the lowest prices away from the interstate exits. If you know the area and aren't running on fumes, drive one or two more miles and you'll save, guaranteed.

Gas Buddy. Download it and use it.

 

[TheBigA]

But the Gov'nor is giving a gas tax rebate of up to $1044 to certain qualifying families. Those who are in white collar jobs and professionals, who paid the most in taxes, will get nothing.

They're the ones who're more likely driving Teslas and hybrids.

That's what most of my big dollar friends in CA do. Lots of Teslas.

 

[davideduardo]

They're the ones who're more likely driving Teslas and hybrids.

The number of electric or hybrids in CA is less than 2%. While it is higher in recent year sales, it is almost insignificant in the total sum of registered vehicles.

EV Market Share – California | EVAdoption

evadoption.com

That's what most of my big dollar friends in CA do. Lots of Teslas.

I rode with a family member for an hour each way from La Quinta to Palm Springs today and did not see a single Tesla in one of the wealthiest metro areas in North America. I would consider one were I in the market, but I'm over 120 miles each way from friends and family in LA and none have chargers, so I would still have to use a gas-powered vehicle for nearby trips. Plus, in our climate with the AC on high 300 days of the year, the range is severely limited as is, more importantly, the life expectancy of the batteries.

Today I took the ground level temperature on the street in front of my house at 3 PM: 164°. An EV vehicle in Southern CA, Nevada, most of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, much of Texas and even Florida is going to have much shorter battery life than someone in Indianapolis would expect.

 

[TheBigA]

The number of electric or hybrids in CA is less than 2%.

Driven by a lot of 1 percenters. The ones who pay the most in taxes.

This is not a majority thing. There may be a lot of billionaires, but not as a percentage of the population.

I rode with a family member for an hour each way from La Quinta to Palm Springs today and did not see a single Tesla.

Remind me what you tell all the posters here who try to use that kind of experience as proof that no one listens to radio.

 

[davideduardo]

Driven by a lot of 1 percenters. The ones who pay the most in taxes.

This is not a majority thing. There may be a lot of billionaires, but not as a percentage of the population.

And I am not talking about billionaires. People with the income level of a junior level accountant, lab worker, A/C repair supervisor, ER nurse, even the crew chief at a golf course maintenance staff will not get the gas tax refund

Remind me what you tell all the posters here who try to use that kind of experience as proof that no one listens to radio.

Well, in watching the road in the busiest day of the year and likely seeing over a thousand cars, I'd say the sample size is actually excessive. In this case, the sample size is determined by the number of vehicles, not the "interviewer" (me). That is basic statistics. Teslas are distinctive enough in every model and year as to very recognizable.

What is not statistically valid is using a day with temperatures over 110° in the desert as a sample to apply to any other non-desert market or state.

 

[TheBigA]

And I am not talking about billionaires. People with the income level of a junior level accountant, lab worker, A/C repair supervisor, ER nurse, even the crew chief at a golf course maintenance staff will not get the gas tax refund

But they're also not statistically poor, so it's determined they can afford it. If not, they adjust their personal budget.

 

[davideduardo]

But they're also not statistically poor, so it's determined they can afford it. If not, they adjust their personal budget.

You don't live, obviously, in California. The cost of living, state income tax, $7 a gallon gas, etc., makes them among those 60% of the state residents who worry about "getting to the end of the month"

 

[TheBigA]

You don't live, obviously, in California. The cost of living, state income tax, $7 a gallon gas, etc., makes them among those 60% of the state residents who worry about "getting to the end of the month"

I have lived there and everyone I talked to about that countered by pointing out they also make more than if they lived in most other states.

At least in our particular cases, it was correct. They say the same thing in NYC. My view is it's not a good place to be poor.

 

[davideduardo]

I have lived there and everyone I talked to about that countered by pointing out they also make more than if they lived in most other states.

That was, perhaps, true a half-decade ago and before the pandemic. The last few years have shown us that we can work from a less expensive, safer and healthier location. That is why companies ranging from Intel to Tesla are abandoning the state.

Blacks and non-Hispanic whites are at a lower population level (sheer numbers and percentages) than 10 years ago. There is moderate Asian population growth, mostly those with degrees and tech skills. And there is a growth in millions of Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants, all with an average education of less than 6th grade.

At least in our particular cases, it was correct. They say the same thing in NYC. My view is it's not a good place to be poor.

And the NYC issue is now why the Puerto Rican diaspora of the last 20 years (nearly 25% of the total ELA population) has almost totally gone to Central Florida, despite NYC being the historical destination in the 50's and 60's for Boricua migrants.

That is the truth, yet we have well over a quarter-million poor and uneducated immigrants arriving each year from Mexico and the "Triangle". I am a proponent of finding a way to help those nations improve education, job opportunities and health.

My "pet idea" is to subsidize manual labor factories there to replace China as the source of textiles, clothing, consumer electronics, housewares, appliances, tools and the like; that would reduce dependency on China, raise the standard of living, and reduce the social cost of caring for people who arrive into a different culture, economy and language.

 

[TheBigA]

That is why companies ranging from Intel to Tesla are abandoning the state.

When they get to their new state, they'll get some pretty heavy culture shock.

If they try and bring some California values with them, they'll encounter a governor who'll take away their tax breaks.

 

[davideduardo]

When they get to their new state, they'll get some pretty heavy culture shock.

If they try and bring some California values with them, they'll encounter a governor who'll take away their tax breaks.

And therein is the reason why we have a unique republic where each state has considerably more autonomy than any other democratic nation.

The Founding Fathers had to reconcile the commerce based urban economy with family farms of the Northeast with the plantation based agricultural economy of the South. They had to accept the different standards on slavery, along with the influence of early waves of European migration in the Northeast. Even the structure for higher education was different both systematically and socially.

The Civil War was, in fact, due to those differences that could not, over time, coexist. But still we had a system that allowed each state far broader and deeper control over its own territory. Texas joined the Union in part because the benefits of Federal protection were greater than any state's rights that they might lose.

In fact, the term "state's rights" is uniquely American. Those who find the government of California to be better than that of Texas or, let's say, Montana, can move there or stay there. Those that are repulsed by it can pick one of 49 other states as well as a Federal District and several colonies territories.

 

[TheBigA]

The Civil War was, in fact, due to those differences that could not, over time, coexist. But still we had a system that allowed each state far broader and deeper control over its own territory.

The problem is that some of these states are trying to force rural rules on their urban cities and its causing huge internal conflicts. Atlanta and Houston are two in particular.

 

[landtuna]

That is why companies ranging from Intel to Tesla are abandoning the state.

I'm in touch with a lot of other retired Intel employees and have not heard that. What Intel is doing is building their new sites to places offering better tax incentives and lower cost of doing business than CA. They continue expanding their older sites (Chandler, AZ, Rio Rancho, NM, Portland area, OR).

 

[davideduardo]

I'm in touch with a lot of other retired Intel employees and have not heard that. What Intel is doing is building their new sites to places offering better tax incentives and lower cost of doing business than CA. They continue expanding their older sites (Chandler, AZ, Rio Rancho, NM, Portland area, OR).

But, they are not expanding in CA and in some cases, reducing the staff by attrition, and then moving departments to AZ, NM and OR. You don't see most of them adding square footage in CA. In fact, the largest portion of new business spaces being built in CA this year is for warehousing for stuff that is going out of state eventually.

 

[boombox4]

When they get to their new state, they'll get some pretty heavy culture shock.

If they try and bring some California values with them, they'll encounter a governor who'll take away their tax breaks.

Depends on the state, or area of the state. Austin, for example, is fairly liberal, and a lot of Californians move there. Same for much of Oregon and Washington.

 

[gr8oldies]

But, they are not expanding in CA and in some cases, reducing the staff by attrition, and then moving departments to AZ, NM and OR. You don't see most of them adding square footage in CA. In fact, the largest portion of new business spaces being built in CA this year is for warehousing for stuff that is going out of state eventually.

If some of these draconian abortion laws stand (with this SCOTUS anything's possible) I've got to think recruiters are going to have problems filling mid and upper level positions. Who wants to live and work somewhere where you, or your spouse,could be headed for prison for taking the morning after pill, or have to undergo a police investigation after a miscarriage, not to mention you fire someone and they turn you in for "aiding and abetting" an abortion whether you did or not? The red states really, really don't like women

 

[TheBigA]

The red states really, really don't like women

They like women as long as they keep churning out children, and keep voting for republicans. There's a debate about the role of women. Some see it strictly as motherhood. Some see women as equal to men. That last idea gets some men uncomfortable.

 

[landtuna]

But, they are not expanding in CA and in some cases, reducing the staff by attrition, and then moving departments to AZ, NM and OR. You don't see most of them adding square footage in CA. In fact, the largest portion of new business spaces being built in CA this year is for warehousing for stuff that is going out of state eventually.

Correct, not expanding in CA. But that does not mean they are abandoning their current CA sites.

When I went to work for Intel in 1980 I was part of an IT/Repair Center organization that had been partially relocated to Phoenix. A significant IT operation remained in the Santa Clara area. 13 years later the Phoenix IT operation was relocated to Chandler (scwabble with the PHX lease was the reason - not business related) and the Repair Center was sold to another company. Back then the "Silicon Desert" was the hot go-to destination (AZ and NM).

I do not think Intel will expand any other biz units in any of the CA sites and eventually will disappear from CA for good but it won't happen overnight. Optionally, they may relocate out of Silicon Valley to the Folsom site which they have already done to a large degree.

 

[Kelly A]

I have lived there and everyone I talked to about that countered by pointing out they also make more than if they lived in most other states.

That certainly is still the case. About five years ago, I interviewed with a network who's sports division was based in LA. The position they offered me was essentially head of sports technical operations. The focus was NFL games, including Super Bowl. They were frustrated because I essentially laughed at their offer which was less than $200K annual. Wait, you want me to move and live in LA for that?? They countered with they had already gone to the upper end of the salary range they could offer. Bottom line is; if one doesn't already live there, it's tough to get in.

At least in our particular cases, it was correct. They say the same thing in NYC. My view is it's not a good place to be poor.

Yep, it's expensive to relocate to major areas like LA and NYC. What a lot of companies are doing now; is to offer less-seasoned (aka younger) prospects a title like VP to get them to sign up, but much less salary than a legacy corporate officer would actually garner. Even if the employee is single, it's still a struggle to make ends meet.