Thread: Population > Leaving California

Population > Leaving California
Meathead Economics, from the Wall Street Journal.

It takes hard work to drive anyone away from California's sunshine and scenic vistas, but politicians in Sacramento have been up to the task.
The latest Census Bureau data indicate that, in 2005, 239,416 more native-born Americans left the state than moved in. California is also on pace to lose domestic population (not counting immigrants) this year. The outmigration is such that the cost to rent a U-Haul trailer to move from Los Angeles to Boise, Idaho, is $2,090--or some eight times more than the cost of moving in the opposite direction.

...

This isn't [Rob Renier's] first foray into confiscatory tax politics. Last year he sponsored a ballot initiative narrowly approved by voters that imposed a percentage-point income-tax surcharge (to the current 10.3%) to pay for government mental-health subsidies. And in the late 1990s he helped to pass an initiative to raise the state's tobacco tax by 50 cents a pack to pay for children's health care.

All of this has contributed to the trend of wealthy taxpayers disappearing from the state. State finance office data indicate that the number of Californians reporting million-dollar incomes fell to 25,000 in 2003 from 44,000 in 2000. That decline has cost the state $9 billion a year in uncollected tax revenues.


California's generous social programs depend on a strong population, a rich population, and a strong property tax base. A relatively small downturn in population and housing demand could cause a large correction in real estate prices.

When things were good, California was tempted into creating big social programs. Now that the economy is cooling down, they could wind up in the same boat as GM and Delphi - past their earnings peak and paying obilgations made during the good years.

LATER: Tam warns other states to be on the lookout for the type of California refuge who flees the state and then tries to Californize their new home: "Some folks may be leaving California looking for freedom, but [some] guys are just leaving to find more comfortable chains that don't make them look fat."

http://www.lesjones.com/posts/003073.shtml

I hear from time to time about our population declining, or at least Californians leaving.
The main source of population increase is from newborns.

Well, as an Idahoan, I can tell you that the flood of Californians into our state has made dramatic changes here. Some of it is not all good. The Idaho people have a laid back atitude with life and some, but not all, people who come here from California are trying to change all that. It's probably good for prosperity, but it can be bad for family values here.

So, consequently when you allow millions of foreign nationals to move into the country, it upsets the balance of communities all across the nation.

Many Californians, having prospered from an economy dependent on illegals, are now fleeing for "untrammeled" pastures.

We don't need 'em here, either. Get back to CA.!!

Originally Posted by Captainron

Many Californians, having prospered from an economy dependent on illegals, are now fleeing for "untrammeled" pastures.

We don't need 'em here, either. Get back to CA.!!

Californians are use to the "fast lane", it will take time to adjust to a slow pace in life.

We're just doing what the Illegals are "supposedly" doing, finding a better way of life, and we're doing it "Legally".
So you can either get over run by other states or eventually be over run by Illegals.

I'm sure the northwest states are not thrilled with all the Californians moving there.

I was in Boise several years ago when my brother was based in Mountain Home, an AF base outside Boise.

It was beautiful - I'd hate to think that because of these illegals, our own people have to crowd up other states! Then, I guess the Idahoans (sp?) will have to go to Canada.

Anyone want to come to Massachusetts? We're losing population, because we're too expensive!! Everything in eastern Mass, anyway, is ridiculous.

Many young Californian couples are leaving because it is too expensive, especially housing.
If this keeps up California will be rich and poor with hardly any middle class. Not good!
For those of us still here we're doing what we can.

My part of Idaho has been Kalifornicated I really can't stand these people. They moved here because they just love it now they want to screw it up like the place they just came from.

I moved here from Colorado to get away from the Californians there wasn't a single "No Trespassing" sign in the valley then the first Kalifornicator moved in and up went the signs. To say that I can't stand them is putting it mildly.

Originally Posted by Bad_Hand

My part of Idaho has been Kalifornicated I really can't stand these people. They moved here because they just love it now they want to screw it up like the place they just came from.

I moved here from Colorado to get away from the Californians there wasn't a single "No Trespassing" sign in the valley then the first Kalifornicator moved in and up went the signs. To say that I can't stand them is putting it mildly.

I have no doubt that many of them are paranoid. It is hard to find 1 property in California that is not "Fenced in".

The problem here is that both illegal immigrants AND Californians that move to other states are mostly what their home turf doesn't want. If they were wanted by their home country (state), they would be able to make a living and afford to stay there. We don't get Guatamala's rocket scientists and Saints and the same holds true for the Californians that go to other states. Here is the way Californian immigration works:

The Californian scrapes by for a time near the beach, makes bad economic decisions. Then decides that life would be better if he moved away from the beach and commuted to work an hour each way. He realizes this is stupid then he decides he should move to ID, WA, CO, AZ NV etc... for a lower cost of living and simple life. Next thing you know Phoenix, AZ is a cesspool of the worst Californians who brought with them, Smog, traffic, high real estate prices and plastic surgery centers in strip malls.