The Tax System in Los Angeles: Confessions of a Street-Performing Mathlete

so there i was trying to tune my busted ukulele outside the *El Rey Theatre when it hit me harder than that vegan burrito from Leo’s Taco Truck-nobody warns you about la’s tax hustle when you’re busy surviving sunset boulevard.



let’s get one thing straight: la doesn’t just tax your income. it taxes your existence. sales tax here floats around 9.5% (10.25% if you’re dumb enough to shop in santa monica). i learned the hard way after buying a $3.50 street dog that cost me $3.86 and dignity.

overheard at silverlake coffee >"dude got audited for declaring his venmo tips as 'mystical energy exchanges'-irs don’t care about your aura, man"

weather report: it’s that special kind of heat where your guitar strings warp and the air tastes like sunscreen-spiked fog. perfect for debating california’s progressive income tax tiers (1% to 13.3%!) while illegally plugging your amp into a downtown lamppost.

the real tea? business taxes will hollow you out faster than a hollywood promise. freelance musicians pay $14k+ annually just for the privilege of choking on diesel fumes at the venice boardwalk. wanna perform legally? that’ll be $625 for a sidewalk vending permit plus 10% of gross if you’re on metro property (la city permit FAQ).

drunk wisdom from a tax preparer at the rainbow bar >"your 'weed delivery driver' side hustle? yeah the ftb tracks those textnow numbers. add 30% for self-employment taxes and pray"

median rent’s $2,800 now (zumper data) which explains why my merch table sells more $1 stickers than $20 cds. pro tip: move to lancaster where it’s slightly cheaper and just two hours from vegas casinos during quarterly payment deadlines.

did i mention la county’s 0.25% arts funding tax? that’s right-even your taco bell receipt funds murals of squidward in boyle heights. check the finance grudges* subreddit for epic rants about why san pedro sailors pay lower property taxes (r/lataxrants).

final note: that "creative professional" tax deduction won’t save you when la city business tax office wants $800 minimum just for existing. ask me how i know (yelp’s saddest tax preparers).

worth it? maybe. my therapist says sunshine is taxable compensation.

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/osmangazi-living-costs-my-messy-budget-breakdown
• https://topiclo.com/post/what-is-el-paso-famous-for-icons-history-and-legends-2
• https://topiclo.com/post/public-transportation-guide-how-to-get-around-ccuta-like-a-local-3
• https://topiclo.com/post/fitness-and-wellness-the-best-gyms-and-yoga-studios-in-kumamoto-2
• https://topiclo.com/post/networking-events-and-professional-communities-in-jos-dont-sleep-on-this-seriously