Originally Posted By ImTempest What is Governor Schwarzenegger thinking?! "Right, let's tax amusement park fees." What a jerk!!!! Like it doesn't already cost an arm and a leg to go, he wants to charge us sales tax on buying a ticket. Boy, in one of those movies he made, somebody snuck up behind him and smacked him with a large Stupid Stick! Hm, let's see - don't go to DLR anymore, or cut out going to MOVIES HIS FRIENDS MAKE, plays, and borrow library books instead of purchasing? I know what my choice would be. I wonder what would happen if we all just said we would skip going to the movies this weekend? Everyone in California, just pick one weekend to boycott (just free-thinking here). Make the people in Sacramento understand that, during these difficult times, we need our places to escape more than ever.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Hm, while I'm not excited to pay more $ for anything, I guess I don't see why this idea makes Arnold insane? People are spending less money at amusement parks and at the movies and at retail stores but it's not because of sales tax. Going to amusement parks is a luxury. I have a hard time complaining about being taxed on those things. If a few extra dollars is going to make that much of a difference...maybe the trip shouldn't be taken anyway.
Originally Posted By ImTempest Ah, I see. Recreation is a "luxury". What an appalling, elitest statement. As I am part of the masses, I need to be taxed out of recreation I have enjoyed in the past, to limit it only to those that can afford to pay that "little bit extra". Maybe we can be allowed to go to the parks on off Sundays, so we won't disturb the privileged enjoying their privileges? Your statement is correct, that people are already paying less money at amusement parks, movies, etc... We are cutting back, and we should be, but we shouldn't be cut out completely and certainly not by our own government. "Let's just make it even more expensive to do those things, so only those with more money are able to do so" is not right, and it's certainly not good economic policy. Just for the record, my family would be among those who could pay the extra. Two of my best friends are not. It's not fair, and I won't stand for it. I'm not a socialist, but I do feel strongly that everyone deserves to have some fun - it's good for the soul.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Like I said, if a few extra dollars is too much to pay for a vacation then maybe it's not a sound financial decision to go. That is a fact. To millions of people in the world, yes, going to Disneyland IS a luxury that they cannot afford.Do you deny this fact? Saying this doesn't make me an elitist. Nowhere did I say Disneyland should only be enjoyed by the elite. Do you seriously think the added sales tax is to keep the less elite out of Disneyland? LOL! Again, Disneyland isn't suffering right now because of the added sales tax to their amusement park tickets. There are much bigger fish to fry right now. Is this thread part of your "campaign" to show that you're not standing for it?
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka As to calling me an elitists, it sounds to me like you have a sense of entitlement. People do not automatically deserve entrances to amusement parks. And not being able to afford Disneyland doesn't mean that someone is automatically sentenced to a life of no fun or "recreation". It would be great if everyone in the world could visit DL and that money wasn't an issue for them. I believe that most of them would consider visiting DL a luxury they could never afford. Pointing out that, in reality, money is a big issue for most of the people in the world, doesn't mean that I am somehow part of the elite that prefer to keep people in their lowly places as my inferior. Sheesh.
Originally Posted By Anatole69 The California government is facing an extreme budget shortage and not only will it have difficulty funding basic items like Schooling, it will also have a hard time funding neccessities like water which have dwindled over the past 10 years and are now more expensive to provide for the larger population of the state, and the greater amount of forest fires we have had in the past few years. When it comes down to paying for basic stuff like water and education, I am not going to complain about the extra few dollars tacked onto my ticket price. I would rather the children of the state, or my neighbors, get that money than Disney executives, if it means I will have a little less to spend in the park. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Also I think the OP can make his point without name calling anyone. It only creates an environment in which more name calling is likely to take place, and makes people more emotional and less likely to be reasoned or considerate in the arguments. - Anatole
Originally Posted By ImTempest I'm sick and tired of politicians sticking their hands in my pockets - is that too much to ask? melikalikimaka, the tax has not gone into effect yet - he's floating the idea now, and yes, this thread is part of getting the voices going against it. My primary "campaign" starts, as with all of us, in the voting booth. But I have a child in school, my friends have children in schools, and like our parents we pay property taxes to support those schools. Now what we pay is not enough? When teachers are buying supplies out of their own pockets? The politicians don't need more money to mis-manage, they need to manage what they have!!!! We have to do it! It's as you said, if there isn't enough money to go to DLR, you don't go. But when Sacramento can't afford the luxuries, they just find a new tax for us to pay. I maintain again, it's not right.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I can understand not wanting to pay more taxes (who does, besides Joe the Plumber?) but maybe calling people elites for viewing amusement park attendance as a luxury might not be the best way to go.
Originally Posted By Anatole69 This whole thread belongs in WE and not the Disneyland board, since it is only tangentially related to DL and is more about the current climate in the California Government. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Anatole69 This whole thread belongs in WE and not the Disneyland board, since it is only tangentially related to DL and is more about the current climate in the California Government. - Anatole
Originally Posted By ImTempest Anatole 69, you're probably right, but I'm just fired up about my DLR tickets being taxed, so I put it here. I don't want anyone raising my prices, especially not since Disney just did that. It's very frustrating, and disheartening.
Originally Posted By Route66 With the California economy in the gutter I don't think its a good idea to stress or put an additional burden on the Theme Parks. Disneyland is not a "Need" yes that's true. But here you have largely middle class people spending their hard earned and saved money to give the family a nice experience. This is not what needs to be taxed.. Look to the higher class luxuries, like private jets, second or third homes, Cars over $100,000... Let them help get California on the right track, they profited more than anyone else and can afford it. Leave working class Families alone.
Originally Posted By Anatole69 ^^ Someone should move this thread to WE, even the title of it is about politics and not Disneyland. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Thank you for the reminder, I just asked the mods to look at this and see if this is the right section for this thread. - Anatole
Originally Posted By PJ82858 California can't manage it's money and tourists who for the most part are out of state have to pay for it?? Good grief!!
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Whenever you visit a certain city/state/country, you are kind of bound by the local economy. This reminds me of the extra charges for luggage on airlines these days. Is there really a difference between being charged an *additional* amount for luggage or having a higher ticket price w/o knowing what the charge is for? One way or another, prices are going up. I know it's a bummer but is spending a few bucks (I mean, that's really all we're talking here) per ticket worth the energy?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Ah, I see. Recreation is a "luxury". What an appalling, elitest statement." It most certainly is a luxury. No matter how much a person enjoy Disney, going to the parks isn't a right, but a privilege, and therefore a luxury. On practical level, if you can pay the one day admission fee, you should be able to pay the tax. If you can't afford the tax, you shouldn't be going at all. Spend the money where it's needed.
