Opinion Voices | Abcarian: Take a cue from the California billionaire unbothered by a targeted tax by Robin Abcarian

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Robin Abcarian argues that the richest Americans’ penchant for tax avoidance is a cultural flaw, pointing to figures like Leona Helmsley and Donald Trump as emblematic of the belief that “only the little people pay taxes.” She critiques the conspicuous consumption of billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and the Republican push for tax cuts, noting that California’s proposed one‑time 5 % billionaire tax—designed to raise about $100 billion over five years for the state’s faltering healthcare system—targets those who have benefited from federal tax cuts while paying far less than average citizens. The initiative, backed by the Service Employees International Union‑United Healthcare Workers West, has gathered enough signatures for the November ballot, but faces challenges: many of California’s 200‑plus billionaires have already relocated to states like Nevada, Florida and Texas, potentially eroding the projected revenue; opponents warn of constitutional and enforcement difficulties, while supporters cite tech leader Jensen Huang’s acceptance of the tax as a model. Abcarian concludes that, unlike permanent wealth taxes in other countries, this one‑off levy could fund essential services, but its success hinges on preventing wealthy flight and overcoming legal obstacles.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-05-03/california-billionaire-tax-eat-rich

#LeonaHelmsley #DonaldTrump #SEIU #JensenHuang #HillaryClinton #SergeyBrin #LarryPage #PeterThiel #MarkZuckerberg #LarryEllison

qwant news | The SEIU declares war on California's tax base — and its economy

AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is pushing the “2026 Billionaire Tax Act,” which would impose a one‑time 5 % tax on the net worth of California’s ultra‑wealthy, earmarking 90 % of the revenue for health‑care spending that directly benefits the union and its members. While the initiative has gathered enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballot, critics argue the tax could trigger a new wave of billionaire exoduses—already seen with figures like Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Larry Ellison and Peter Thiel—potentially costing the state $13 billion in personal‑income tax and up to $25 billion in broader economic revenue. The SEIU’s pursuit follows revelations of extensive Medi‑Cal fraud, yet opponents warn that the tax’s projected $100 billion revenue is unrealistic, and that wealthier residents will employ legal tactics to minimize liability, further depressing asset values and harming California’s economy for generations.

Read more: https://nypost.com/2026/04/28/opinion/the-seiu-declares-war-on-californias-tax-base/

#SEIU #DaveRegan #Medi_Cal #UnitedHealthcare #LarryPage #MarkZuckerberg #SergeyBrin #LarryEllison #PeterThiel

Campaign is sponsored by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West labor union, has collected more than 1.5m signatures

#SEIU

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/27/california-billionaire-tax

Twin Cities nursing home workers on strike at 5 locations

St. Paul, MN – At 7 a.m., April 20, over 300 nursing home workers from five nursing homes walked off the job and began a three-day strike. The striking workers are represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa and have been in negotiations for their next union contracts.

[...]

https://fightbacknews.org/articles/twin-cities-nursing-home-workers-on-strike-at-5-locations

This kind of shit is so out of hand at this point I think we're past the point of ever returning to normalcy. The post-war Jewish golden age is fucking over, kids.

"#Professor #AbigailBornstein is a #Jewish #faculty member at #CCSF who became the target of repeated, public, and highly personalized attacks rooted in #antiSemitic tropes and threats. The most serious incident occurred during a public CCSF Board of Trustees meeting on May 29, 2025, when she became the victim of a prolonged, profanity-laced tirade.

At this meeting, #MariaSalazarColon, a CCSF staff member and Management Assistant in the Office of Student Conduct and Discipline, who is also the president of the campus chapter of #SEIU #Local1021, referred to Professor #Bornstein as a “colonizer,” mocked her Jewish surname (“Dumb-stine”), and told her to “shut the f*** up” multiple times."

https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2026/03/31/s-f-city-college-backs-jewish-professors-claim-of-antisemitic-harassment/

LA teachers union ready to strike

Los Angeles, CA – Over 30,000 members of United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), SEIU 99, and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) came together in downtown Los Angeles at a rally on March 16 in a powerful display of unity, demanding the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) shift their budget priorities and agree to a decent contract. If the district does not settle the contract, teachers, school staff and administrators are prepared to strike on April 14.

[...]

https://fightbacknews.org/articles/la-teachers-union-ready-to-strike

@angryeducationworkers

#UTLA United Teachers Los Angeles 38,000 teachers & #SEIU Local 99 30,000 workers: cafeteria workers, bus drivers and special education assistants authorized a strike by 94% and 97%, respectively.

https://edsource.org/2026/lausd-deficit-unions-strike/754008

#EducationWorkers #LabourMovement #LosAngeles #Teachers #Strike #Unions

Pittsburgh Ratios https://theconversation.com/pittsburgh-nurses-are-fighting-for-better-staffing-ratios-and-the-research-backs-them-up-274577

UPMC Altoona https://www.wtaj.com/news/local-news/upmc-altoona-nurses-win-big-with-tentative-agreement-for-safety-pay-raises/

https://theconversation.com/a-growing-nursing-shortage-is-made-worse-by-nurses-daily-challenges-of-patients-and-their-families-rolling-their-eyes-yelling-and-striking-261521

SEIU Survey
https://elevatingpghhealth.org/

#SEIU
https://seiuhcpa.org/

#healthworkers #labourmovement #nurses #Pittsburgh

#TwinCities Unions Planning ‘Largest US #RentStrike in 100+ Years’ as #ICEOccupation Drives #EvictionCrisis

“Tenants in #Minnesota are in a crisis,” said #Minneapolis City Council Member #AishaChughtai. “The federal invasion forced many of our neighbors to stay home and devastated our #LocalEconomy.”

Stephen Prager, Feb 17, 2026

"Tenant and labor unions in Minneapolis and St. Paul have announced plans to carry out what they said would be the 'largest rent strike in the United States in the last 100 years.'

"Beginning on #March1, if Democratic Minnesota Gov. #TimWalz does not meet their urgent demands for an #EvictionMoratorium and #RentRelief, a coalition of nearly 26,000 workers has pledged to withhold rent, which they said could create a massive economic disruption.

"The plans were announced on Tuesday by the tenants union #TwinCitiesTenants, which is joined by five labor unions: Service Employees International Union (#SEIU) Local 26, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota/Iowa, UNITE HERE Local 17, the Amalgamated Transit Union (#ATU) 1005, and Communication Workers of America (#CWA) 7250.

"They argued that a freeze on rents is desperately needed after 'nearly three months of federal occupation' under President Donald #Trump’s '#OperationMetroSurge,' which sent nearly 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (#ICE) and other immigration agents to the area, resulting in multiple fatal shootings and a wave of #CivilRights violations, including explicit #RacialProfiling."

Read more / listen:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/minnesota-rent-strike-ice

#USPol #AbolishICE #AbolishDHS #ICEOut #ICEOutForGood #Strike