I guess I'm going to tip you off by saying, "You're not going to like the answer".

The Rich Get Richer

If you ever thought the economic game was rigged, then here's some proof for you. The rich do get richer and pay less for the privilege of being richer. I guess this brings up the somewhat fair question of "Why should a rich person pay more when they're only using (about) the same amount of resources as a poor person?". I believe that to be an argument for another time, but it seems like a fair process that those who have benefited more from our economy should at least put a commensurate amount back into it.  Cutting to the chase, In Texas the poorest surveyed pay about 12% of their income into taxes while the richest pay only 4.6% of their income. In California, the numbers are far closer to even.

The Poor Get Poorer.

It is a little hard to have a complete direct comparison with Texas and California, because the California scale starts with families making less than 25K, while the Texas scale starts with families making less than $21,700, then includes $21,701 up to a little over $40K (I've included the images side by side for you for an easier direct comparison, but if they are too small, scroll down for larger ones).

The Ugly Truth

The fact is that Texas has what ITEP calls "The 7th Most Regressive Tax In The States" while California comes in at 47th. Simply put, if the question is "Who Hates Poor People The Most?" then Texas wins, hands down. Don't let the fact that Texas has no state income tax fool you, they find other ways to get you and the poorest of the poor to pay a larger share of the tab in Texas than they do in California.

I Feel Duped (And Kind Of Bad)

I have loved Texas long and hard despite its faults. I always felt like this was a place where fairness mattered, a place of handshakes and big white cowboy hats. Now I know the numbers don't lie, the game is rigged for the rich in Texas.