Comments on: Oakland’s Business-Tax Dragnet http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/ Words from a Non-Leftist Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:14:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: mark ross http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1738 mark ross Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:05:30 +0000 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1738 Back in 1973 I started a business in Oakland. It was a printing shop in the basement of a house on a residential street. I called the zoning office and they granted me a variance sight unseen... for free! By the mid 80s things changed and those who employ the toil of others became the targets of public wrath. Usually bread is only buttered on one side... what side is that, Oakland? Back in 1973 I started a business in Oakland. It was a printing shop in the basement of a house on a residential street. I called the zoning office and they granted me a variance sight unseen… for free! By the mid 80s things changed and those who employ the toil of others became the targets of public wrath. Usually bread is only buttered on one side… what side is that, Oakland?

]]> By: below580 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1730 below580 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:07:55 +0000 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1730 I owned a business in San Francisco for many years and folks used to ask me after I moved to Oakland if I would ever open an office here. I would just laugh. The only people Oakland dislike more than business owners are cops. I remember speaking to De La Fuente a few years ago and he told me that Oakland was very pro-business and once again all I could do was laugh. My next response to him was "the proof is in the pudding." If Oakland was really pro-business there would be lots of business in Oakland, small businesses, large businesses, all kinds of businesses. Look around you, do you see an overabundance of business in Oakland? Of course, the high crime rates help keep business out too, but the attitude of this city is definitely not pro-business. This is the last place most people would consider opening a business and rightly so. I owned a business in San Francisco for many years and folks used to ask me after I moved to Oakland if I would ever open an office here. I would just laugh. The only people Oakland dislike more than business owners are cops. I remember speaking to De La Fuente a few years ago and he told me that Oakland was very pro-business and once again all I could do was laugh. My next response to him was “the proof is in the pudding.” If Oakland was really pro-business there would be lots of business in Oakland, small businesses, large businesses, all kinds of businesses. Look around you, do you see an overabundance of business in Oakland? Of course, the high crime rates help keep business out too, but the attitude of this city is definitely not pro-business. This is the last place most people would consider opening a business and rightly so.

]]> By: Josh Abrams http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1729 Josh Abrams Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:08:56 +0000 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1729 Yes, they love to shake down Oakland business owners... a friend's mother hosted an art show about 7 years ago at a local coffee shop. Wanting to do the right thing, she registered with the business tax office in Oakland (she was planning to sell a few pieces). It took her two years to get off their list, they kept sending her notices of unpaid tax, and would not remove her from the tax rolls even when she pointed out that she was no longer doing business (and even after they said she was removed). Just as I would never own rental housing in Berkeley, I would never own a business in Oakland - there is just no good reason to. There are 0 benefits to being in Oakland over Emeryville and they in addition to the high tax rate, they make it really hard to pay the tax or even get a call back from the office! My business is out of state, and I am a W-2 employee of it, I rue the day Oakland decides to try and shake me down, but I doubt they'll have much luck. In the middle of the night I dream about the city of Oakland getting slapped with a RICO charge. Yes, they love to shake down Oakland business owners… a friend’s mother hosted an art show about 7 years ago at a local coffee shop. Wanting to do the right thing, she registered with the business tax office in Oakland (she was planning to sell a few pieces). It took her two years to get off their list, they kept sending her notices of unpaid tax, and would not remove her from the tax rolls even when she pointed out that she was no longer doing business (and even after they said she was removed).

Just as I would never own rental housing in Berkeley, I would never own a business in Oakland - there is just no good reason to. There are 0 benefits to being in Oakland over Emeryville and they in addition to the high tax rate, they make it really hard to pay the tax or even get a call back from the office!

My business is out of state, and I am a W-2 employee of it, I rue the day Oakland decides to try and shake me down, but I doubt they’ll have much luck.

In the middle of the night I dream about the city of Oakland getting slapped with a RICO charge.

]]> By: TheBoss http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1725 TheBoss Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:26:48 +0000 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1725 I had never realized that Oakland's transfer tax is 1.5%!? Absolutely preposterous. I had never realized that Oakland’s transfer tax is 1.5%!? Absolutely preposterous.

]]> By: mark ross http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1724 mark ross Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:43:10 +0000 http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/04/18/oaklands-business-tax-dragnet/#comment-1724 "Gross Receipts" is the key. An enterprise can be losing money and still owe the tax. San Leandro and even Walnut Creek also benefit from this foolish policy. This and the extremely high real estate transfer tax are never mentioned in political campaigns. “Gross Receipts” is the key. An enterprise can be losing money and still owe the tax. San Leandro and even Walnut Creek also benefit from this foolish policy. This and the extremely high real estate transfer tax are never mentioned in political campaigns.

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