For California’s wealthiest residents, filing their 2012 tax returns is bound to be a more frustrating process. In November 2012, a public vote led to the passage of Proposition 30, which retroactively increases tax rates for state residents earning $250,000 or more per year. The federal fiscal cliff deal that was reached on New Year’s day also placed a higher tax burden on more Americans.
Professional golfer Phil Mickelson expressed his frustrations about these increases during an interview at the Humana Challenge Golf Tournament in La Quinta, California. Mickelson referenced the fact that he would be making “drastic changes” in the near future. When the interviewer asked whether Mickelson intended to leave California, he explained that, due to the latest changes to tax legislation, he felt he and others in his income bracket were being “targeted both federally and by the state.”
Mickelson’s comments regarding the recent tax increases have been reproduced by various sources, ranging from the golf news outlets to financial publications.
In response to the media attention, Mickelson has since recanted his comments, offering an explanation that is likely to resonate with many Californians and Americans at large this tax season:
“I’m like many Americans who are trying to understand the new tax laws. I certainly don’t have a defense plan at this time, but like everyone else I want to make decisions that are best for my future and my family,” said Mickelson in a statement published by The Bleacher Report.
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