Sergey Brin is joining Larry Page, in reducing ties to CA(www.nytimes.com)
9 pointsby vlod4 hours ago1 comment
  • SlightlyLeftPad4 hours ago
    This trend really says a lot about America, billionaires build their own empires by getting free money from investors and the government, including huge tax breaks and subsidies. When the people ask for some of that wealth that they helped build to support universal needs, they pack up and leave without blinking. Who really has the leverage and power here?

    As the richest country on the planet, there is zero reason we should have nearly a million homeless people. These leaders extract wealth from the state and then ditch town. It’s deplorable.

    • blowsand2 hours ago
      When I read comments like yours I always wonder why the commenter isn’t wildly successful at creating wealth for themselves and jobs for many. Why haven’t you? Why haven’t you built a big business and started giving money away beyond what the tax and regulatory laws call for?
      • SlightlyLeftPad2 hours ago
        I mean being the second and tenth richest men alive sets an awfully high bar. Let’s be real, if either of us were even remotely close to that, neither of us would be commenting here.
    • pfdietz4 hours ago
      > free money from investors

      I'm completely confident that's not the way it works. One way or another, the investors are expecting a return, and have arranged things appropriately.

      • cjbenedikt4 hours ago
        That's correct. But the point about free government money i.e. tax dollars is correct too.
        • johngan hour ago
          How much tax revenue and job revenue which translates to sales revenue, employment taxes, donations, etc has Google generated for California over the years? Is it a business they couldn’t have started somewhere else? Should the beholden to the state in perpetuity?
          • SlightlyLeftPad23 minutes ago
            To be clear, Billionaires often pay zero income taxes. Not 1%, not 5, not 10. They pay $0 in income taxes. Many in the shrinking middle class pay almost half their income in tax.

            Can you then guess who gets more representation and voice in the government?