While there are a lot of things that California is great at, think beautiful weather, beaches, and mountains, when it comes to serving the residents, it seems the Golden State is further down the list. The annual UHAUL report on one-way customers using their service indicates that California is 1st in the US for residents leaving the state.
This should really come as no surprise because California has been spiraling for years. Beyond super high taxes and a very high cost of living, political leadership can only be described as an utter failure. The train to nowhere, fixing the homeless issue (not), punishing regulations, and California’s hold on people appears to be waning.
The recent reports that California aims to establish a wealth tax will certainly chase away those of residents who are the most productive and drive the most prosperity and jobs.
So which states are benefiting from the California exodus?
Once again, no surprise.
Texas is in first place, and Florida is in second. North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina follow the two leaders. All of these states are in the South and Florida, and Texas are well known for eschewing a state income tax, something California has used to raise funds and then fritter it all away.
Which states are vying to beat California in its self-induced losses? Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. Again, all high-tax states are known for their poor political leadership.
UHAUL notes:
“Blue-to-red state migration, a hotly debated political topic that became more pronounced after the pandemic of 2020, continues to be a discernible trend. Seven of the top 10 growth states currently feature Republican governors, and nine of those states went red in the last presidential election. Conversely, nine of the bottom 10 growth states feature Democrat governors, and seven of those states went blue in the last presidential election.”
Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya noted on X that it is not just Billionaires leaving California, as people are “exhausted” paying 13.3% state tax without any accountability.
Others chimed in, explaining that the move to Austin, Texas, a prominent tech hub, was the best decision they ever made and the departures are a “direct result of decades of fiscal malpractice.”
And things are not expected to get better as the Federal government is investigating fraud. According to reports, President Donald Trump believes the fraud in California is even worse than the recent uncovering of billions in theft in Minnesota.
While the solution may seem obvious to those not in charge, it takes an informed electorate to stop making bad decisions and vote out leaders who care more about optics and fiscal responsibility. Maybe someone can be elected to turn around California and make the state great again.
