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Legendary director Steven Spielberg is latest billionaire to flee California in another blow to state
California Post ^ | 2/19/26 | Matt Troutman

Posted on 02/19/2026 9:21:04 PM PST by Libloather

Steven Spielberg, phone home!

The legendary “E.T.” director and California resident has moved to Manhattan amid a billionaire exodus from the Golden State — as voters eye a controversial wealth tax.

But the move, first reported by the LA Times, allegedly had nothing to do with the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act.

“Steven’s move to the East Coast is both long-planned and driven purely by his and Kate Capshaw’s desire to be closer to their New York-based children and grandchildren,” spokeswoman Terry Press said.

Press did not answer queries about Spielberg’s stance on the proposed tax, which would slap a one-time 5% tax on individual fortunes exceeding $1 billion.

The tax, if approved by voters in November, would apply retroactively to the beginning of this year.

Proponents argue it will raise tens of billions of dollars to go toward the state’s health care shortfalls, while opponents — including Gavin Newsom — argue it’ll force skinflint billionaires to leave the state.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin wants to kill the tax. He’s funding an effort to build more opponents by appealing to California’s voting masses, who so far overwhelmingly back the tax.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: billionaire; bluestateexodus; california; flee; gavinnewsom; karenbass; katecapshaw; kathyhochul; losangeles; manhattan; matttroutman; newyork; newyorkcity; sergeybrin; sociopath; spielberg; stevenspielberg; terrypress; whoisjohngalt; zohranmamdani
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Not willing to give up his loot for the commie cause? Dedication is lacking. That can be changed.
1 posted on 02/19/2026 9:21:04 PM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather

Believe Spielberg’s move may really be motivated by family dynamics. Doubt there is much of a tax advantage moving from Newsom’s nonsense to Mamdani’s socialist paradise.


2 posted on 02/19/2026 9:25:16 PM PST by allendale
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To: Libloather

I suspect it has more to do with Hollywood no longer being the center of movie-making.


3 posted on 02/19/2026 9:27:07 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Libloather

On the one hand, on an intellectual level I get it that CA’s proposed billionaire tax— like all wealth taxes— is disastrously bad policy that is already backfiring spectacularly on the state’s finances (without even being in effect yet).

On the other hand, Spielberg is a TDS-suffering, leftist-bastard perv whose exit from the state doesn’t exactly have me shedding any tears. I’ve thought there was something creepy about the dude ever since he had a *kid* make fellatio “joke” in E.T.


4 posted on 02/19/2026 9:29:33 PM PST by irishjuggler
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To: Libloather

Manhattan will save him from those greedy socialists.


5 posted on 02/19/2026 9:32:27 PM PST by SpaceBar
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To: Libloather

The kinfolk said, Jed,
move away from there.
California is the place
not to be,
so he loaded up the truck
and moved out of Beverly.
Hills, that is.


6 posted on 02/19/2026 9:36:47 PM PST by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: Libloather

“Steven Spielberg, phone home! The legendary “E.T.” director and California resident has moved to Manhattan”

Manhattan?? That’s like jumping from the frying pan to the fire.


7 posted on 02/19/2026 9:55:22 PM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: Libloather
California resident has moved to Manhattan

He accomplished nothing, dumbass

8 posted on 02/19/2026 10:08:05 PM PST by MileHi ((Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: aquila48

Exactly.


9 posted on 02/19/2026 10:08:41 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: Libloather
I wonder how many of these billionaires who are fleeing California have hosted fund raisers or contributed millions to elect jackasses like Obama, Biden, and Newsom.
10 posted on 02/19/2026 10:11:02 PM PST by Enterprise (These people have no honor, no belief, no poetry, no art, no humor, no patriotism.)
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To: Libloather

John Galt recruits another one!


11 posted on 02/19/2026 10:14:01 PM PST by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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I wonder if Newsom can confiscate any of Steve’s cash before he goes.


12 posted on 02/19/2026 10:16:06 PM PST by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: Libloather

Out of the frying pan into the fire. Either way, Spielberg’s so obscenely wealthy he won’t even notice another tax bite.


13 posted on 02/19/2026 10:21:09 PM PST by Orosius
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...
[snip]...has moved to Manhattan amid a billionaire exodus from the Golden State — as voters eye a controversial wealth tax.... allegedly had nothing to do with the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act... "is both long-planned and driven purely by his and Kate Capshaw's desire to be closer to their New York-based children and grandchildren," spokeswoman Terry Press said. Press did not answer queries about Spielberg's stance on the proposed tax... opponents — including Gavin Newsom — argue it'll force [DNC bias] skinflint [/DNC bias] billionaires to leave the state. Google co-founder Sergey Brin...'s funding an effort to [DNC bias] build more opponents [/DNC bias] ....[/snip]/blockquote>

14 posted on 02/19/2026 10:33:17 PM PST by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: Libloather

California to Manhattan? If it’s money he’s trying to save, I think he made a bad move.


15 posted on 02/19/2026 10:33:58 PM PST by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: Libloather

Is California going to have any taxpayers left? Sheesh.


16 posted on 02/19/2026 10:38:57 PM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: BookmanTheJanitor
Is California going to have any taxpayers left?

Yes. Millions of them, and they will all be expected to make up the 50% of taxes that the top 1% currently pay. Plus any new Newsome follies that get added.

17 posted on 02/19/2026 10:56:31 PM PST by Kudsman (Democrats - Homegrown menace to your life and happiness. )
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To: Libloather
> Not willing to give up his loot for the commie cause? Dedication is lacking. That can be changed.

At some point, every socialist country starts doing outright theft from the "haves". It's like Thatcher said, "Socialism is great until you run out of other people's money."

18 posted on 02/19/2026 10:57:41 PM PST by dayglored (This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24)
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To: Libloather

Newsom’s clearing out CA so the Chinese can move in.


19 posted on 02/20/2026 1:41:14 AM PST by ryderann
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To: Libloather
Proponents argue it will raise tens of billions of dollars to go toward the state’s health care shortfalls, while opponents — including Gavin Newsom — argue it’ll force skinflint billionaires to leave the state.

I can imagine the bill proponents characterizing them that way - but not the bill opponents.

One is not a "skinflint" merely because one objects to being bled white by the govt.

Regards,

20 posted on 02/20/2026 2:30:11 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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