The huge pensions of the many California state government retirees requires a boatload of tax revenue to sustain. Same with Illinois the California of the Midwest less the nice weather.
It’s not just the state government pensions...It’s the local, city, county and state that are literally choking off the entire state. Then add in the mental cases that run the state, who think it’s reasonable to open the borders to endless millions of uneducated illegal poor folk who have zero respect for our borders, rules, laws etc.
It’s state suicide.
My wife’s aunt and uncle were teachers in the Cally state system. They own a big house on the coast, travel endlessly, and live like monarchs; all at state expense from their gold plated pensions. Guess how they vote. They think Cally is grand.