It's been all over the news - Rush Limbaugh packing up camp and abandoning his operations in New York City. It's been the subject of a Jon Stewart "The Daily Show" tirade and even drew the attention of New York Gov. David Paterson.
Limbaugh appeared on Fox News Channel's April 8 "Your World with Neil Cavuto" and explained why he was leaving and how he felt about those that were glad he was leaving.
"Well, if they're glad I'm leaving, Neil, then I assume that the governor of New York, the unelected governor - has no interest in the tax revenue he collects from me, in which case I would ask him to call off his audit dogs," Limbaugh said. "You know, one thing that hasn't been reported in this and I've mentioned it each time I've talked about stopping doing business in New York is I left New York as a resident in 1997. I moved down here to Florida, and I have been audited every year. This has been going on since '97. This is 12 years that I have been audited. The most recent audit is for the last three years. It's been going on since October."
Limbaugh told Cavuto he'd lead the modern-day "Atlas Shrugged" exodus out of the New York, but didn't think everyone would follow. He said some would stay behind.
"I've joked and I said, ‘Look if he wants to drive people out of there, I'll lead the way.' I'm sure that there are people in New York who will stay and put up with this," Limbaugh said. "I mean, liberals are liberals first, and they will be convinced that they're doing the Lord's work here by having more taxes confiscated. If there was some value for it that one could see, but look at the out of control budgets this state has, the out-of-control spending, and the ‘spending cuts' are always mythical. I've never seen a budget get smaller at a state or federal government level. You might have individual bureaucracies that get cut, but overall, budgets never go down."
He told viewers he was a victim of his public persona and that his tax dollars are being wasted by the state and local governments.
"The only reason I'm a poster child for it is because I'm hated, envied, and despised by people that live there in the media and so forth," Limbaugh added. "I'm a convenient target, and this is another way for people to have fun. I think it's more serious than that. I left New York in '97 specifically to escape the onerous income taxes I was paying then. It's not a question, like I said, of, ‘I can afford it,' or it's something that I don't need. It's stupid! It's stupid to waste money - and taxes in a profligate and wasteful state like New York are wasted. They do not accomplish anything. You know, really, Neil, if you look at the structure of New York City, with all the high-rise condominiums and apartments and co-ops, those streets ought to be paved with gold just from the property taxes collected from one building."
The auditors, Limbaugh claimed, even went as far as requested to go to Limbaugh's residences to determine which one he lived with their aggressive tactics.
"And they claimed I owed them x-number of millions," Limbaugh said. "They even wanted to come, Neil, to both my residences, New York and Florida, to see which one was really more lived in, which one had all the pictures. I mean, the hassle these audits has just reached a point."
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→ Caught it live
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 20:05 ET by Cool ArrowLimbaugh skewered the stingy New York bloodsucking machine.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
Search warrents
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 20:18 ET by sevenHow do NYC auditors go to Florida?\
They should audit tax cheat geithner. He has a place he doesn't rent that he lives in for free.
This is a surprise?
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 20:31 ET by fenngibbonWhy is Limbaugh, or anyone, amazed by this? NY is a state where they expect you to pay sales taxes on things you don't buy in NY--and I'm not talking catalog or internet. If you take a trip to, say, Pennsylvania and buy, say, a table, NY expects you to pay NY the sales tax for that table. I've even heard tell that for a time NY tax officials would patrol the parking lots of shopping centers in PA looking for NY license plates, would record the license plate numbers, then send the owners of the cars reminders that they were supposed to pay sales taxes on anything they bought in PA.
I think Cabinet members and
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 21:11 ET by nadadhimmiI think Cabinet members and indeed all govt employees will soon be exempt from ALL taxes. In the interest of abiding by the law you see, no more tax problems if they don't have to pay taxes. It's all for our own good you know, our own good.
Shhh
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 23:37 ET by ChaitealoverDon't say that too loudly - I'm afraid the CA legislature will pick up on it and decide to do it here. I don't think there's any mad rush to shop in Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon, but a lot of people in SoCal shop in Mexico.
Chai
“...Bury me on my face,” said Diogenes; and when he was asked why, he replied, “Because in a little while everything will be turned upside down.”
Actually, there are people
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 05:44 ET by BDActually, there are people from California who travel to Arizona and Nevada to purchase cars.
Upon bringing the vehicle
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:32 ET by ex buff e-dubUpon bringing the vehicle into California to register it, you have to pay a "use tax" comparable in value to what you would have paid in sales tax.
What Pennsylvania and New
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:12 ET by Scuba DudeWhat Pennsylvania and New Jersey should do is tax those same NY tax officials. After all they are performing their jobs in those states. I am sure PA and NJ could use the additional income tax revenue.
"The wrOng ONE was elected"
Michigan
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:37 ET by pbanks7Michigan expects the same. I don't know if they are patrolling -- yet.
Michigan just raised the cigarette tax, and lo and behold, crooks are breaking into gas stations etc., to steal thousands of dollars of cigarettes! $8000-worth in one haul.
The Michigan Business Tax for the company I work for is 50% higher than last year's Single Business Tax. No wonder we have had the largest exodus our state has ever experienced.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe, then confirming it with a poll.
Cigarette tax - New Hampshire
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 10:02 ET by SpoonInterestingly, cigars have a leaf wrap and cigarettes have a paper wrap so cigars aren't taxed at the same rate. I switched to mild "little cigars" which come in packs of 20 and are just a bit longer than cigarettes. Well, New Hampshire couldn't have smokers getting away with that! But they didn't want to apply the cigarette taxes to regular cigars... oh, no, the fat cats like cigars.
So they just added a stipulation to the cigarette taxes to include the weight of the tobacco, not just the wrap. A carton went from $8.00 a carton to $20.00 a carton. $12 JUST IN TAXES? JUST IN STATE TAXES????? So even if the store, manufacturer, farmer, and distributor split that $8 evenly, they each make $2 a carton and the state, which didn't farm, make, ship, or sell a damn thing, loots 6X more than the producers earn. I was so totally disgusted I shopped around and found some larger cigars I hated just so New Hampshire didn't get my money (I'm sure they still got some - regular cigars aren't tax-free, just less taxed).
Anyway, my "little cigars" had the last laugh. They shrunk the filter to half the size it was, thereby increasing the amount of tobacco, and thus are over the 'weight' to be included in the cigarette taxes. Go American ingenuity when it comes to capitalism!!
They do the same in
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:02 ET by TheConservativeChemistThey do the same in MA...they wait to see who buys what in NH (no sales tax). I recently just bought a car in NH, THE DAY AFTER I MOVED FROM MA TO NH...I have lived in NH almost my entire life and only spent the last 6 months in awful MA...never again. I have to work in Boston for my job (which I love, although not the high income tax)...that's the only GD $$ MA will get from me, though!
Rush gets the last laugh!
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 21:04 ET by CTRush exits and the whiney New York Libs take it up their tax-hole.
GTT
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 21:04 ET by RousseIn the 1830s, they wrote GTT on the barn doors---it meant "Gone to Texas," because Texas was the land of opportunity. And it still is. Texas has the best economic climate of all 50 states---by a huge margin---and I hope Rush will bring his back-up studio to Texas.
Texas
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 06:25 ET by GeneralAlDon't forget that Texas is the home of the most villified and slandered President in modern history, George Bush. Although he provoked my anger on some issues [such as amnesty and the bailouts], I still like and admire the man for his honesty and frank replies! Unlike President Teleprompter Hussein Obamessiah, the cowboy mispronounced a few words, but rarely filled the gap with ums and ahs!
Texas bound
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 08:35 ET by moderncommentaries83I think, eventually, we'll end up in Texas, too. Of all the states in the union, the one that I'm fairly certain won't cave to Obama, the UN, or other liberal policies is Texas.
So that's where I want to be.
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
"Of all the states in the
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:59 ET by Texasteacher"Of all the states in the union, the one that I'm fairly certain won't
cave to Obama, the UN, or other liberal policies is Texas."
Unless you live in Austin, Dallas, or Houston. Thankfully there are plenty of smaller towns and rural areas with intelligent people to counteract the stupidity that seems to gravitate towards the bigger cities.
obama's notion of bi-partisanship is telling conservatives to shut up and do what he wants.
Not Houston, as much. We
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:27 ET by Lord ElicaniNot Houston, as much. We still have too much love for the first Bush, who I believe still lives here. We know he likes his baseball.
I used to trust the media
To tell me the truth, tell us the truth
But now I've seen the payoffs
Everywhere I look
Who do you trust when everyone's a crook?
- Queensrÿche, "Revolution Calling"
The rich and successful Limbaugh will leave...
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 22:25 ET by Delia...along with all of the other rich folks in NY escaping in droves to greener pastures. Once the rich have secured their wealth safely away from 0bama's tax slavery, only the middle class will be left to carry the burden of the tax theft bogus bailout supposed 'economic rescue' power grabs... -But, that is the Marxist way...keep the 'Elites rich' and remove the middle class altogether and control the 'poor' masses with empty promises.
Relief
Wed, 04/08/2009 - 22:39 ET by kilrodCURE FOR CONSTIPATION
If you are bothered by occasional or frequent constipation, look in the mirror and repeat the following phrase three times in succession when symptoms occur:
"My financial and personal well being are totally in the hands of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Tim Geithner, Rahm Emmanual, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd , and Al Gore"
If that doesn't scare the shit out of you, then you are probably destined to be backed up for the rest of your life.
There is no need to thank me for this advice, I'm just doing a public service.
From an e-mail, -- kilrod
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
Kilrod
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:25 ET by NorthCoasterThanks for the help!
I wish I was rich and lived in New York.
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 01:50 ET by jawebster1I'd be so happy to leave that town. Jim Webster
But Rush, but Rush.......
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 06:18 ET by GeneralAlBut Rush, paying taxes is patriotic! Just ask Gaithner, Daschle, Sebelius, and all the other Commiecrats! You have to pay more taxes Rush to make up the shortfalls of the Democommiecratic Party! They don't always pay their taxes because they're so busy trying to undo all the evil created by Conservatives. Since Conservatives created all these problems, its only fair for them to pay more in taxes. And whats the big deal if these wonderful Communist, er Democrats fail to pay a few million? They are such good people with such good intentions we should just give them a brake!
A human tragedy
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 06:31 ET by sloerideRush is an idiot. New York is the cultural capital of the world. Any amount of money and aggravation is worth it just to be there and to support the many many excellent peoples dependent on his rich greedy money that he doesn't want to give to us. Whatever, there's millions just like him replacing him everyday with better money and not so stingy. His loss. they don't make cool anywhere but Manhattan...and parts of Brooklyn I suppose.
You are right, troll, it is a human tragedy
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:05 ET by R D HelmIt is a human tragedy because a private citizen, who has already paid confiscatory taxes through the wazoo to that state, is being repeatedly harassed by a bunch of idiot government bureaucrats.
Rush's money belongs to him, not to you, me, or anyone else.
"Whatever, [there's millions just like him replacing him everyday] with better money and not so stingy."
Somehow I seriously doubt this. And how can you call Rush stingy, as I am pretty sure he paid more in NY state taxes alone in the space of one year than you will probably make in your entire life?
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.
Well said RD. I live in
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:35 ET by rimskyWell said RD.
I live in NYC. I'm not a native, but I've been here 11 years now. I have a love/hate relationship with NYC. I love all it has to offer, but I hate paying the price. AND.... I hate paying the taxes! I used to live in TN, where there is no income tax. Can you imagine how much I hate paying NYS taxes? Rush is exactly right about wasteful NY state spending.
Right Dave
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:29 ET by NorthCoasterThese supposedly less stingy folks, are the ones that on average give only 1% to charity.
Good morning sloeride
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:44 ET by cocodrieIt is much more greedy to confiscate an honest citizen's money than for the citizen to want to keep what is already his.
What you say is exactly what an armed robber tells his victim, "It's worth all your money for me not to kill you."
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
Rush, an idiot?? making 100's of millions???
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:45 ET by JIMMY1660you must have not gone past the 3rd grade. 3 hrs a day making hundreds of millions and you want to chase him out of town??it would not matter who or what he did, i would want the cash that follows him. just what happens if just a few hundred, thousand folks think the same way and leave NY City??
WE have lost many a business here, but not to China, but to states that have lower taxes. its pretty simple math.The more an owner can keep, he will invest and grow his company, not move away.Is rush the 1st on many to move away, NYC is in big trouble.
BHO- POTUS, is a Liar and Socialist
SLOERIDE...
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:53 ET by danybhoyIf you believe what you wrote, you are an idiot & don't understand America. There is NO amount of money that would make putting up with the sort of confiscatory tax rates & the over-the-top regulatory structure that makes anything you do for your job, leisure, & recreation nothing short of a pain in the @$$. Why would ANYONE put up with ANY of what you are exusing for in the name of cool?
His loss? Hardly, there is nothing cool about Manhattan. It is over-rated, over-priced, & now that NYC, & NY have decided to tax people to death, it will soon be over...The death of this naton as we know it will be due to...
1.Massive taxation...
2.Oppressive regulations...
3.Gun rights...
4.Free speech...
...& I believe it is well within the relm of possibilty that this republic could split like the old Soviet Union. The idea that anything is "Too big to fail" is BS. Keep stealing money of those that bust their @$$ to give it to those who don't, or who are too stupid to run a big buisiness, with the idea that we can't let them fail, & we as a whole will fail as a nation. If we get to that point, all bets are off & anything goes. I hope it does'nt come to that...
"The Fairness Doctrine = Jim Crow laws for Conservatives". Jim Quinn from "Quinn & Rose"
Sloeride: New york the
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:03 ET by BDSloeride:
New york the Cultural capital of the world? Says WHO?
It is full of that pretentious band of liberals who see it as the center of the earth who are called NYokkers.
They do not make cool anywhere but New York? Huh? says WHO? WHat an egotistical fool.
sloeride, you sound just like David Letterman.
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 16:42 ET by jawebster1Oh, my mistake, ALL liberals sound like David Letterman. (In case there is any misunderstanding, to sound like David Letterman is not meant to be a compliment.) Jim Webster
Fix the Economy
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 06:44 ET by jdlybrandFrom the St. Petersburg Times.
Patriotic retirement.
There are 40 million people over fifty who work.
Give each one of these people one million dollars with the following stipulations:
1. Quit work. 40 million new jobs. Unemployment solved.
2. Buy a car made in America. Auto crisis solved.
3. Buy a new house or pay off you mortgage. Housing crisis solved.
too complicated
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:07 ET by rongreat idea, especially since i'm retired, but unfortunately it's too simple for the pres and congress to understand.
Hmmmm, one problem. This
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 07:49 ET by Scuba DudeHmmmm, one problem. This would cost 40 TRILLION dollars!!!!
Not such a good idea.
"The wrOng ONE was elected"
4 Billion, 40 Trillion, it is just zeros
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 08:34 ET by dasher4 Billion, 40 Trillion, it is just zeros, and every one knows zeros are free.
"Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P.J.O'Rourke
Free Zero?
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 09:15 ET by boomerconThe only zero around this country who's free is the zero now occupying the White House along with his no-bod-troglodyte spouse.
Boomer
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:33 ET by NorthCoasterOuch! The truth has been glazed over with a sugar coating to make it palatable for public consumption. Thanks for the insight.
jdly... Here's another
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 17:08 ET by bigtimerjdly...
Here's another idea...
Get rid of all illegal aliens....make sure borders are sealed and the laws are followed here...stop all federal tax $$$ going to any of the Sanctuary Cities...it would reduce the cost to all of us big time in so many ways I can't name them all now....let alone hurt ACORN and the illegal voters.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
What the state of New York has been doing to Rush...
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 06:54 ET by R D Helm...is some of the most blatant government harassment I have ever seen, and in my opinion, has gone beyond the criminal.
I blame the residents of that state for allowing this lunacy to get to the point it has. They should have voted these vultures out along time ago.
Tax auditors trying to peek inside a private residence? LOL-Yeah, I'd like to see them try and do that here in Georgia.
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.
The tax man doesn't want truth.
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 08:52 ET by sevenThe tax man wants to extort money.
If Rush lived out of a suitcase and worked on an occasional visit to NYC and traveled back to florida before the end of a week, they would want him treated as a permanent and full time resident.
The tax man doesn't want truth.
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 08:52 ET by sevenThe tax man wants to extort money.
If Rush lived out of a suitcase and worked on an occasional visit to NYC and traveled back to florida before the end of a week, they would want him treated as a permanent and full time resident.
I have a question, I am not
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 10:28 ET by jgarciaI have a question, I am not tax person.... how can the IRS audit him for 12 straight years and then audit him for the last 3 yrs on what they already audited him for?
He is not being audited by
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:40 ET by NL207He is not being audited by the IRS.
Rush is being audited by the NYS Dept of Taxation and Finance. He should be so lucky that it were merely an IRS audit! The NYS thugs can and will demand any accountings they like. They can audit more than once over the same year if they like. This is not a criminal trial where double jeopardy prohibitions apply. This is an "administrative" procedure. Rush, ESPECIALLY Rush, has no rights in this matter.
Interesting...
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:40 ET by jgarciathanks for the information, i will make sure I don't ever move to NY!
Higher taxes are going to bankrupt NYC
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:29 ET by kevinm13Stupid libs. They believe that the way to increase revenues in times of economic stress is to raise taxes. It has the opposite effect, especially in states like NY and cities like NYC. There are many others who contribute many millions who will seek out tax havens leaving NYC to the poor and the middle class who collectively won't be able to support the bloated liberal infrastructure.
Rush is doing what is sensible and cutting NY out of his work life. I wish I could do the same, but this is where the job is. Rush has options and will likely go to Texas or some other low tax state and avoid NYC. Gov. Paterson, this is a teachable moment. Cut taxes and you will get people investing in NY rather than leaving because of exhorbitant tax rates.
New York State
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:06 ET by 1611LilacLadyAgain, I do not know how my post came up three times. . I apologize. If I could delete two of them I would.
New York State
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:58 ET by 1611LilacLadyI do not know how my post came up three times. . I apologize.
Bloodsucking Kalifornia
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:53 ET by jimrunnerI retired from the military a few years back. Prior to that event, the Golden State of California had a policy called the "source tax." In simple terms, if one had worked in California during a working career and retired in another state, specifically one of the few that has no state income tax, California attempted to force the retiree to pay California state income tax proportional to the time worked in California. This not only applied to retired military, it applied to anyone who had worked in California, such as a state worker, police officer, fireman, school teacher, etc. California was billing folks who had retired out of state for its "fair share" of taxes. Well, that policy went up in smoke via the U.S. Supreme Court. Don't think it can't resurface as some other tax "beast/burden."
New York State
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:54 ET by 1611LilacLadyI am a lifelong resident of NYS. I am not even close, nor will I ever be anywhere near Rush's income bracket. Frankly I'm glad. (Philippians 4:11)
Rush is rushing away. Don't think I'm not sympathetic . . I am to a point. But Rush has a ton of money, so why doesn't he hire a REALLY GOOD lawyer and fight this? Certainly a Conservative icon like Rush has some strings he could pull.
He's right about the UNELECTED Governor. He dumb, blind and black . . gee thanks Eliot! From an elected white 'john', determined to reek havoc on the Indian Treaties to Dave Peterson. Neither of whom would I vote for . . .
Talk about the blind leading the blind!
Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . . KJV
Federal and state moneys
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 21:05 ET by RR GOPFederal and state moneys simply evaporate.
All of those that got $ from Porkulus will have their hands out and be crying 'poverty' two years from now.
The problem with Republicans is that they tend to be too damn stingy and then that lets the Democrats get elected.
What really gets me is that the average tax payer gets a mere pittance, if anything in this hand-out environment and these politicians hem and haw about cutting our taxes or (God forbid!) giving us rebates now and again. But, they have no problem giving billions to Lord knows who.
It would be the height of fiscal irresponsibility to let the Average Joe actually keep a couple of thousand more of his money per year, and poor people might be denied and do stuff like, oh, I don't know, join gangs, rape, sell drugs, mug people, sell guns to other criminals, rob convenience stores, rob banks, carjack, carry out home invasions, shoot policemen...fortunately with all the handouts they've gotten courtesy of the Great Society, they live in peace and harmony and we'd be stupid to mess with that.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
If all the rich
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 09:02 ET by rbosqueIf all the rich conservatives left NY, that would mean the rich left would remain there. Would that mean that their taxes would go up to compensate (eventually)? And if so, how long would it be until they started to leave?