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Congratulations, stupid: Southern California now has highest sales tax in country

April 2, 2025 | | Print Article

Two Southern California cities now boast the highest sales tax rates in the entire country, thanks to their own voters’ decision-making.

“Palmdale and Lancaster, located in northern Los Angeles County, raised their rates to 11.25% from 10.25% following voter approval of a 0.75% hike in both cities last year,” according to Bloomberg. “The new rates also include a quarter-cent boost OK’d by county voters in November for homelessness programs.”

“With the increases, the two cities surpass Seattle, which had the highest sales tax rate in the country at 10.35% among cities with more than 100,000 people,” the reporting continues.

Congratulations!?

As seen in the chart below, the sales tax rate went up in numerous California cities on April 1st, especially around the Los Angeles area:

Most of the money raised from the sales tax is allegedly meant to go toward ostensibly somehow magically fixing homelessness.

The rest of it is allegedly designed to help cover the “costs to rebuild neighborhoods destroyed by January’s historic wildfires” and to fund “preparations to host next year’s men’s World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028,” according to Bloomberg.

Critics say none of this extra revenue would be needed if California leaders, both on the state and local level, knew how to govern properly.

Some critics even doubt that the money will actually be used to fix anything — anything at all — given California’s track record of taking in money and then blowing it.

“Among the highest revenue AND tax rates in the country, and we’re running a huge spending deficit with layoffs predicted,” one critic tweeted. “It’s indefensible. Now they want more money to squander and distribute among their powerful friends.”

“You’d have to be a fool to think the reservoir will be full the next fire we have, or the homeless problem will be solved, or the potholes will get fixed,” the critic added.

Many critics also mocked California voters for willingly voting for the government to “steal” more of their hard-earned money.

Look:

Meanwhile, in California, what else are officials wasting taxpayer money on? Reportedly, a renovation of San Quentin State Prison that will turn it into a Scandinavian-style rehabilitation center for criminals.

Meaning, in other words, that California taxpayers are paying to grant inmates at San Quentin access to luxury amenities like a farmers market, a podcast production studio, and a self-service grocery store.

“The renovations are expected to cost California taxpayers $239 million,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “Construction was on track to finish in January 2026, officials said, with the first incarcerated people set to begin using the revamped facility within months of completion early next year.”

These plans have reportedly sparked backlash from victims’ families.

“[S]ome victims’ advocates and family members of people affected by crime sharply criticized Newsom’s plan, saying any funding spent to transform San Quentin would be better spent on helping victims heal,” the Chronicle notes.

Vivek Saxena
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