Comedian Bill Maher blasted California’s high tax burden on businesses on Monday during his “Club Random” podcast, quipping that the deep blue state takes a bigger cut than the drug dealers he bought from in the past.
“It’s almost impossible to make a business work in California like that,” Maher said on Monday’s episode.
“I mean, just the state takes like 40% taxes. F—, you know, when I bought drugs from a skeezy dealer, he didn’t skim 40%.”
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Maher then joked that even when he used to sell marijuana, he never took as big a cut as California does through taxes.
“Like I would buy a pound, which is 16 ounces, and make 17 ounces out of it. That’s not 40%, but the government is worse than the dealer,” he said.
Maher appeared to be speaking casually with his 40-percent remark. California has one of the nation’s highest corporate tax rates for most of its businesses at 8.84 percent, although that’s not taking into account the federal rate, which is 21 percent for class C corporations, as well as payroll taxes and other fees for businesses.
Maher’s guest, actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, responded by joking that California’s steep taxes leave business owners “forced to diversify” into ventures like gardening businesses and tea rooms just to stay afloat.
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Maher has remarked on lofty taxation in the past, calling out Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other democratic socialists earlier this year while saying he’s tired of hearing the rich don’t pay their fair share.
“Last week was tax day… I paid to the government, if you add in state tax, local, sales, property, fees [and] Obamacare, probably almost 60% of what I earn. That’s a lot, and I still wouldn’t mind if Bernie Sanders would stop saying the rich don’t pay taxes,” Maher said, kicking off a “New Rule” segment back in April.
“And while I’m sure the super-rich, with their army of accountants and corporate loopholes, get away with murder, us regular rich people pay a s— ton of taxes” Maher said.
Maher also called out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in a separate instance from 2021, criticizing her over the politically charged “Tax the Rich” dress she wore at the Met Gala.
“It’s not like we don’t tax the rich at all,” Maher said. “I’m all for ending income inequality, but let’s not lie. The rich pay a lot of the taxes.”
“Yes, there are lots of things we need to amend about the capitalist system. We have crony capitalism in this country, no doubt about it. I’m just saying, you’re wearing ‘Tax the Rich’ on your ass and people are always saying the rich don’t pay taxes. The rich pay some taxes! They pay a big part of the freight already. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be more perhaps, but let’s not lie,” Maher added.