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highplainsdem

(58,368 posts)
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:40 PM Jun 2025

Newsom floats withholding federal taxes as Trump threatens California

Source: Politico

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday suggested California consider withholding tens of billions in annual federal tax dollars amid reports Donald Trump is preparing funding cuts targeting the state.

Newsom’s suggestion came after CNN reported the president was considering a “full termination” of federal grant funding for California’s universities.

“Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back,” the Democratic governor said in an X post Friday afternoon, referencing a recent analysis from the Rockefeller Institute that California contributed about $83 billion more in federal taxes in 2022 than it received back from Washington.

“Maybe it’s time to cut that off,” he added.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/06/newsom-floats-withholding-federal-taxes-00393386

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Newsom floats withholding federal taxes as Trump threatens California (Original Post) highplainsdem Jun 2025 OP
I'm starting to think secession shouldn't be off table. Of course, would have to move from my rube red state. Silent Type Jun 2025 #1
Trump is trying to start a civil war it looks like. Irish_Dem Jun 2025 #26
Aren't those taxes paid by individual taxpayers to the US Treasury? MichMan Jun 2025 #2
Not all - there are federal excise taxes on alcoholic beverages for example DBoon Jun 2025 #3
and paying into the CA system (however that works?) stopdiggin Jun 2025 #8
There could be an escrow account for us Tumbulu Jun 2025 #4
which would disallow the federal gov from presenting me with the bill? stopdiggin Jun 2025 #7
In time, yes Tumbulu Jun 2025 #14
agree with about 90% stopdiggin Jun 2025 #17
About damned time! flying-skeleton Jun 2025 #5
"Maybe it's time to cut that off" could be a campaign slogan. PermatexNo.2 Jun 2025 #6
Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote Jun 2025 #22
Thanks. I'll try to behave. Or, failing that, at least try to use good grammar and punctuation. PermatexNo.2 Jun 2025 #34
great talking point! but as a practical matter ... stopdiggin Jun 2025 #9
California can make a case for "No taxation without Representation" thought crime Jun 2025 #10
That would mean that a Wyoming taxpayer would pay $66 dollars in income taxes for every $1 a California resident pays MichMan Jun 2025 #12
No, that would be Absurd. And Wyoming having the same level of representation as CA is just as Absurd. thought crime Jun 2025 #16
the point (fairly obviously) - is that 'no taxation without representation' stopdiggin Jun 2025 #18
Have you ever heard the slogan "no taxation without representation"? thought crime Jun 2025 #20
and my post pointed to the fact that your quote stopdiggin Jun 2025 #21
Happens all the time with city income taxes MichMan Jun 2025 #25
CA has a LOT more Reps in the House. The founders worked out a reasonable balance Attilatheblond Jun 2025 #28
It should have more Senators too, and some of the founders knew it. thought crime Jun 2025 #29
Ah, yes, tranny of the majority. Nope that isn't a good way to govern. Attilatheblond Jun 2025 #30
The Tyranny of the Majority is a problem. thought crime Jun 2025 #33
We have 2 legislative bodies. One by population and one where all states have two members Attilatheblond Jun 2025 #35
But they are represented. Igel Jun 2025 #24
Newsom's argument also falls flat if you take it down to a local level MichMan Jun 2025 #27
What would Gov Newsom's response be if for example Beverly Hills and Bel Air decided to withhold all their state taxes? MichMan Jun 2025 #11
So you support Taco cutting off services to California? Scrivener7 Jun 2025 #32
""Maybe it's time to cut that off," he added." Maybe just "redirect" the tax money to areas tfg cut? nt mitch96 Jun 2025 #13
Sounds like a plan! Fla Dem Jun 2025 #15
Yup, just maybe time, Newsom. republianmushroom Jun 2025 #19
I did not think he was speaking about income tax. quaint Jun 2025 #23
Seems like Rebl2 Jun 2025 #31
Do it orangecrush Jun 2025 #36

Silent Type

(11,271 posts)
1. I'm starting to think secession shouldn't be off table. Of course, would have to move from my rube red state.
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:45 PM
Jun 2025

Irish_Dem

(75,521 posts)
26. Trump is trying to start a civil war it looks like.
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:58 PM
Jun 2025

He loves to fight with everyone and destroy everything.

MichMan

(16,011 posts)
2. Aren't those taxes paid by individual taxpayers to the US Treasury?
Fri Jun 6, 2025, 11:50 PM
Jun 2025

Just how would Newsom redirect them to the state without the taxpayers being held liable by the IRS for not paying them?

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
8. and paying into the CA system (however that works?)
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:19 AM
Jun 2025

is going to get me off the hook for what the feds say I owe? Somehow I doubt ...

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
7. which would disallow the federal gov from presenting me with the bill?
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:16 AM
Jun 2025

garnishing wages, freezing accounts, liens on property?

Tumbulu

(6,586 posts)
14. In time, yes
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 08:02 AM
Jun 2025

but this is the game the R’s are playing. Break norms, break laws, then fight until the end.

I wonder if the state set up the fund so that individuals were indemnified if it could be a tool in this battle.

There seems to an attack on the state of CA planned.

It is not only Canada, Panama Canal and Greenland. CA and NY have been vilified by the right wing media for 4+ decades. It feeds into their base.

Governor Newsom is going to need to use every means possible to save the state from this aggression.

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
17. agree with about 90%
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 10:49 AM
Jun 2025

where we diverge is in definition of 'every means possible'. In a nutshell - - this ain't.

Again - good talking point. But, that's really all ....

 

PermatexNo.2

(45 posts)
34. Thanks. I'll try to behave. Or, failing that, at least try to use good grammar and punctuation.
Sun Jun 8, 2025, 01:46 AM
Jun 2025

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
9. great talking point! but as a practical matter ...
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:23 AM
Jun 2025

one has to assume that everyone (including the gov) recognizes it as purely palaver.

thought crime

(810 posts)
10. California can make a case for "No taxation without Representation"
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 06:27 AM
Jun 2025

The population of the 20 least populated US States (40 Senators) added together, is less than the population of California (2 Senators). This is simply absurd. California, with 2 Senators and ~40 million people, should pay no more taxes than Wyoming, with 2 Senators and ~600 thousand people.

MichMan

(16,011 posts)
12. That would mean that a Wyoming taxpayer would pay $66 dollars in income taxes for every $1 a California resident pays
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 07:32 AM
Jun 2025

Assuming a tax rate of 18%, a California taxpayer making AGI of $80,000 would owe $14,000 in Federal income taxes while the Wyoming resident making the same $80,000 would owe $950,000 in taxes. Annually.

And you think that would be logical?

thought crime

(810 posts)
16. No, that would be Absurd. And Wyoming having the same level of representation as CA is just as Absurd.
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 10:11 AM
Jun 2025

I could just as easily say that California should have 40 Senators.

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
18. the point (fairly obviously) - is that 'no taxation without representation'
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 11:08 AM
Jun 2025

cannot possibly be construed as "representation equal to taxation". Which is not only hugely absurd, but also represents a glaring injustice (and the undermining of our democratic process).

"One man, one vote" is a far better way of making the (fairness) point.
(and there is a quite valid point to be made there .. )

thought crime

(810 posts)
20. Have you ever heard the slogan "no taxation without representation"?
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 12:16 PM
Jun 2025

It's from the American Revolution. It means, if we do not have fair representation, then we should not be expected to pay taxes.

The outrage is a state with 40 million people having no more representation than a state with less than 1 million people. In protest, just pay the same amount of taxes as that little state (i.e. essentially no tax).

I was responding to a post about Gov. Newsome suggesting Californians not pay tax, to protest Trump's actions. But never mind.

stopdiggin

(14,443 posts)
21. and my post pointed to the fact that your quote
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 12:39 PM
Jun 2025

had very little relevance (and thus an extremely poor fit) for the discussion at hand.

I even went so far as to agree that your 'outrage' (as far as proportional or fair representation) had good basis.
It just doesn't have any applicability to the Newsom 'taxation' discussion - Paul Revere, Tea Party, and all that good stuff aside ....
(yes, we have heard of the American Revolution, thanks)
Still - returning to the point - 'Without representation' simply doesn't make any sense in this context.

Oh, and it's Newsom (even though that is consistently mangled as well)

MichMan

(16,011 posts)
25. Happens all the time with city income taxes
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:51 PM
Jun 2025

Many larger cities impose non resident income taxes on people who don't live there, but work there. Yet, they are not permitted in vote in city elections.

thought crime

(810 posts)
29. It should have more Senators too, and some of the founders knew it.
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 03:56 PM
Jun 2025

In Federalist Paper No. 22, Alexander Hamilton wrote “Every idea of proportion and every rule of fair representation conspire to condemn a principle, which gives to Rhode Island an equal weight in the scale of power with Massachusetts, or Connecticut, or New York… Its operation contradicts the fundamental maxim of republican government, which requires that the sense of the majority should prevail"

Others such as James Madison and George Washington agreed, but compromised with the smaller states.

Equal distribution of Senators dilutes the power of population centers and skews it toward smaller or more rural states. This is one of the biggest factors giving the Republican Party an unfair advantage. Ask them. They love it.

Attilatheblond

(7,342 posts)
30. Ah, yes, tranny of the majority. Nope that isn't a good way to govern.
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 04:02 PM
Jun 2025

Good way to assure ALWAYS losing rural states though

thought crime

(810 posts)
33. The Tyranny of the Majority is a problem.
Sun Jun 8, 2025, 12:40 AM
Jun 2025

The Tyranny of the Minority is a bigger problem and that is what we have now.

Attilatheblond

(7,342 posts)
35. We have 2 legislative bodies. One by population and one where all states have two members
Sun Jun 8, 2025, 02:50 PM
Jun 2025

Those bodies have to agree. IOW, there in balance and no minority rule.

Igel

(37,124 posts)
24. But they are represented.
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 02:00 PM
Jun 2025

In the House, it's proportional, because it represents the population. In the Senate, it's equal by state, because they originally represented the states. However, "equal representation" does not mean "no representation".

"Without representation" really did mean "without (any) representation." Puerto Rico has more representation in Congress than the colonies had in Parliament.


Notice that Newsom's claim falls flat if moved from the state to the individual level. Lots of Americans pay far more in federal taxes than "they get back," and lots of Americans get far more back than they pay. Then there's always the "wealthier should pay more" kind of argument, right--this sort of exposes it to the claim that it's just a manipulative talking point.

MichMan

(16,011 posts)
27. Newsom's argument also falls flat if you take it down to a local level
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 03:03 PM
Jun 2025

Like I posted in #11

Should wealthy suburbs like Beverly Hills or Bel Air get back proportionally what they pay in at the expense of poor areas like Compton?

MichMan

(16,011 posts)
11. What would Gov Newsom's response be if for example Beverly Hills and Bel Air decided to withhold all their state taxes?
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 07:09 AM
Jun 2025

and keep them for themselves because they pay out more than they receive from the state?

mitch96

(15,505 posts)
13. ""Maybe it's time to cut that off," he added." Maybe just "redirect" the tax money to areas tfg cut? nt
Sat Jun 7, 2025, 07:36 AM
Jun 2025
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