> I don't think it'll be 40% for someone making 80k per year.

It won't.

At 2013 rates, on $80k of total income for an individual ($73,900 in income subject to income tax with the $6,100 standard deduction, but no other deductions/credits):

  Effective federal income tax on total income: 18.0%
  Effective CA income tax rate on total income: 5.72%
  SS+Medicare: 7.65%
  California State Disability Insurance tax: 1.00%
  Total effective income and payroll tax rate: 32.4%