California Fleeing

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY ^ | Monday, August 11, 2003

[nickcarraway]

California: The Golden State's recall vote won't be held until Oct. 7. But the state's citizens already began voting quite a while ago — with their feet.

For Californians, the recent report from the Census Bureau was a shocker. From 1990 to 2000, the Census found, the number of Californians leaving the state was greater than the number of those arriving from other states — a first.

Even during the high-tech boom, people left. From 1995 to 2000, 1.4 million Americans moved to California. But 2.2 million left.

"Unprecedented" is how Hans Johnson, a demographer with the Public Policy Institute of California, described the trend to the Los Angeles Times. Sadly, we agree. And it's not a good thing.

California's image has long been built around it being a place of refuge for the creative, the restless, the underappreciated, the hard-working — a place where people, whatever their pasts, could remake themselves and create a better life.

During the 20th century, Americans from other states poured into California. And the once tiny, underpopulated farm state grew into a giant of 35 million people, with the fifth largest economy on Earth.

Now many of those who helped build the miracle are leaving.

Why? Riots, earthquakes and a steep recession early in the 1990s left many fed up. So they moved to neighboring states, such as Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Utah, even Texas.

For many reasons, the exodus continues. It may not end soon.

The state faces an uncertain political future with its recall vote. Its $38 billion deficit has become a symbol of fiscal recklessness. A two-year energy crisis has left businesses and consumers with energy bills way above the national average.

As for taxes, Californians have the fourth highest overall tax burden in the U.S., 10% higher than the national average, according to the Tax Foundation.

Businesses? They're fleeing, too. Facing onerous environmental rules in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco, they can't grow. In a recent small-business survey, more than half said they've stopped hiring and expanding, due to soaring workers' comp costs.

As a result, not enough jobs are being created — and not enough homes are being built. In just the last two years, the state has lost 14% of its factory jobs, while its population has surged 1.6 million.

The state needs more than 200,000 housing units a year just to keep up with population growth. In recent years it's been lucky to get even half of that, thanks to local "growth controls" and run-amok NIMBYism that have helped home prices soar out of reach.

As for immigrants, California still has plenty of them — from outside the U.S. (It's no accident that three of the leading contenders for governor speak English as a second language.)

Among the state's people, 26% were born in another country. Unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger or Arianna Huffington, they're on average poorer, less educated and have higher welfare participation rates than people born here. Will they be able to run an economy based on high tech, health care and entertainment? We doubt it.

We have no easy answers. We wish we did. But in hemorrhaging its best and brightest to other states, California faces a demographic disaster. Small wonder its citizens want to recall their governor.

[nickcarraway]

ping

[ETERNAL WARMING]

They're fleeing, but they're taking their stupidity with them. Everywhere they go Liberal policies follow. Don't they realize they're responsible for the mess?

[Lancey Howard]

bttt

[nickcarraway]

They're fleeing, but they're taking their stupidity with them. Everywhere they go Liberal policies follow. Don't they realize they're responsible for the mess?

Well, they came here and forced them on us in the first place. I'm not sure the people who leave CA because of high taxes are going to want to bring them with them anyway.

[Jay D. Dyson]

Yep, we're fleeing...but those I know who have been fleeing are neither Liberal nor Moderate, but are Conservatives. They're relocating to Texas, Arizona, and similar states.

Just talked with my in-laws this evening and it turns out they're ready to bail on this state as well.

You know things have seriously tanked when a retired Marine (my father-in-law) makes the call to bug out.

[nickcarraway]

You are going to leave?

[Banjoguy]

Kalifornia: Another example of Socialism's failure. It's too bad that I and others have such a corrupt view of the state which I am sure is populated by many fine people. ...truth is, the loonies 'running' CA were elected. It should be fairly ituitive that a representative who grew up as a member of a deprived minority, would bring an attitude of entitlement with him/her, especially if they came from a socialist country, which Mexico is.

In addition to fiscal irresponsibility, there is the ever present stench of corruption. (Every time I hear Davis or the Mayor of SF open their mouths I could vomit.) Couple all this with hyper-progressive cultural policies, (note the sneering contempt for the U.S Constitution,) and you will find many Americans wanting out. So you can rationalize all you want to, but the overiding issues for the folks leaving are fiscal and cultural.

I only hope other states will learn from California the results of thumbing your nose at the indigineous population and requiring them to bend over on a regular basis. New York may be learning the same lesson the hard way.

[Got a right to Life? . . Huh?]

Yep, we're fleeing...but those I know who have been fleeing are neither Liberal nor Moderate, but are Conservatives.

I worked at a Republican Fair Booth today. I registered a lot of former Californians to vote Republican here in Oregon. The majority of CA transplants I have met are conservatives.

[Neanderthal]

"It's no accident that three of the leading contenders for governor speak English as a second language."

Who's the third one?

[lainde]

Huffington and Bustamonte...A big IF on the "leading".

[Luke21]

No. They just think socialism wasn't done right over there. Now these granola eating types are thronging to Arizona and bringing their brain dead madness with them. Lucky us.

[Hugin]

I assume they are refering to Arnold, Arianna Huffington and Cruz Bustamental. Though I doubt Arianna is really a leading contender.

[dagnabbit]

Looks like Bush-Clinton-Bush open border immigration practices are paying off handsomely.

[larryjohnson]

CA to ME in95

[varon]

Now many of those who helped build the miracle are leaving.

Businesses? They're fleeing, too.

As a result, not enough jobs are being created — and not enough homes are being built. In just the last two years, the state has lost 14% of its factory jobs, while its population has surged 1.6 million.

So, if people and businesses are leaving where is the population surge coming from?
Are the remaining people breeding like rabbits OR are illegals swarming across the border, hmmmmmm?

California's fiscal problems aren't going to be solved by changing governors but by sealing the southern border.

[Savage Beast]

I loved California. I moved there, took a good look, and ran like hell in the opposite direction. I was also politically indifferent. After a good look at California, I became an impassioned anti-"Liberal".

[BradyLS]

For Californians, the recent report from the Census Bureau was a shocker. From 1990 to 2000, the Census found, the number of Californians leaving the state was greater than the number of those arriving from other states — a first.

Even during the high-tech boom, people left. From 1995 to 2000, 1.4 million Americans moved to California. But 2.2 million left.

...

As a result, not enough jobs are being created — and not enough homes are being built. In just the last two years, the state has lost 14% of its factory jobs, while its population has surged 1.6 million.

The state needs more than 200,000 housing units a year just to keep up with population growth. In recent years it's been lucky to get even half of that, thanks to local "growth controls" and run-amok NIMBYism that have helped home prices soar out of reach.

...

As for immigrants, California still has plenty of them — from outside the U.S. (It's no accident that three of the leading contenders for governor speak English as a second language.)

Well, which is it??? Shrinking population or surging population?

It's no wonder journalists have such a reputation as poor writers. They couldn't quite bring together that the mass exodus of talent and business was being replaced by a smaller flood of unemployed, unskilled labor.

Next, it will be spun that selfish businesses and the families that ran them created a pile a problems and fled-- dumping the mess in the laps of the poor. You watch.

[BradyLS]

Ya beat me too it!

[BradyLS]

Unless the "surge" of 1.6MM includes illegal immigrants, which is not explicitly stated...