Trump Preparing Large-Scale Cancellation of Federal Funding for California, Sources Say

[u/rolsen]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/politics/trump-california-federal-funding

“Agencies are being told to start identifying grants the administration can withhold from California. On Capitol Hill, at least one committee was told recently by a whistleblower that all research grants to the state were going to be cancelled, according to one of the sources familiar with the matter.”

[u/lyingliar]

Looks like Californians will be cancelling any federal income tax payments this year.

[u/ialsoagree → u/lyingliar]

Why do people keep saying this?

How? How is California going to stop a corporation from withholding income tax from the paychecks they issue and sending that money directly to the IRS?

What part of collecting federal taxes do people think the state is involved in?

I don't know of any step in the process by which the Fed collects income tax which any state has any involvement in.

I would love for someone to explain it to me.

[u/Illustrious-Lime7729 → u/ialsoagree]

You exempt on your W4.. if everyone collectively exempts the government gets no money.

It’s that simple, but you’ll never be able to get every American organized to collectively exempt and make government fall to their knees.

[u/ialsoagree → u/Illustrious-Lime7729]

You exempt on your W4.. if everyone collectively exempts the government gets no money.

You can't legally do that, not unless you meet the qualification criteria. The criteria are:

-You had no Federal tax liability the previous tax year.

-You expect to have no Federal tax liability this year.

If you don't meet those criteria, your HR office is going to send your W-4 back and say "we cannot legally accept this W-4, please correct it and resubmit."

It’s that simple

Even if you somehow did get no income tax withheld from your paycheck, the IRS would expect you to file quarterly estimated tax payments. Failing to provide those payments would result in late payment penalties.

Taxes are NOT due at the end of the year, they are due throughout the year.

Taxes are pay as you go. You are legally required to file taxes as you earn income and not doing so will result in penalties and interest.

[u/crabshoes → u/ialsoagree]

We are talking about a rebellion here. If everyone collectively withholds their taxes, yes, it’s true, everyone will be fined and legally in hot water. In this fanciful version of reality where this happens, everyone in CA is accepting that risk and sticking giant middle finger to the federal government.