This article misses the top factor that people depart from California - absurdly high cost of living. Even for those of us who were fortunate to buy homes years ago, the cost of everything else - groceries, insurance, gas, restaurants - everything you buy frequently - has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Of course this is due to the $20 minimum wage, high taxes, high real estate, excessive regulation, absurd environmental rules, but the bottom line is that most people find they can save 25% or more just by relocating to NV, AZ, not to mention ID, FL, TX. Plus massive tax reduction.
The only reason people stay in California is to work highly paid non-remote jobs and for the mild climate which I have not found elsewhere in the USA. My parents will never leave because all their friends are here, but like the author, that’s not enough to keep me here.
This 4th generation California will be gone as soon as my youngest finishes high school. California is losing its brighest young people as the low cost UC schools favor immigrants and others “first generation” students.
This is part of the plan, to push out “privileged” suburban families. Of course it is not working out so well as it has devasted the tax base, resulting in a massive budget deficit. The death spiral has begun.
GOP gifted California to the Demorats in second Clinton election. They walked away… abandoned their supporters. Trump is revitalizing those who have been abandoned. Times they are a changing. Thanks be to God.