Posted on 08/09/2003 12:28:10 AM PDT by 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.
Yep. It's about time we lived in a state that doesn't have near-double-digit sales tax, ridiculous real estate prices (we can get a mansion in a good neighborhood elsewhere for what a 900 square-foot shack on a postage-stamp piece of land in gangland central goes for here). Not only that, but the school systems elsewhere are actually focused on educating rather than touchy-feely self-esteem and Jose Illegal.
Last, but not least, I'm looking forward to living in a state that doesn't treat me like a common criminal because I exercise my Second Amendment rights.
So yes, unless things do a serious 180 in the next year or so, we're outta here.
-Jay
The illegals swarming across the border are breeding like rabbits. The most popular names for babies in California are Juan and Maria.
Riots and earthquakes are causing people to leave? What a pile of horseshit. They're leaving because of CONFISCATORY TAXES, high cost of living due to CONFISCATORY TAXES, the deluge of illegals who have access to government handouts that result in CONFISCATORY TAXES, and a stupid legislature and governor that can do nothing but create more CONFISCATORY TAXES.
Deserves repeating.
"Pray for me. I drive 183".
Now, there is no way anyone can get hurt on 183, except from IH 35 to just north of Loop 360. It now takes 50 minutes to get to work and about 75-80 minutes to get home. Weekends, no problem getting anywhere back then. The worst thing about the traffic now, is the non timed traffic lights the city paid several million dollars to have syncronized. There was a joke. Don't know if you have ever gone to the KVET web site, but if you have a chance, look at the "Smoking Gun" (just do a search) about the memo circulated between Cap Metro and the City. They were blatant about making sure the lights were not syncronized. Cap Metro wanted to keep people in traffic jams, so the locals would vote FOR LIGHT RAIL in the next election.
IF we can ever cut off the flow of free stuff to the illegals and welfare lifers this could be a reality.
Deserves repeating.
Oops. Our problems will also be solved by changing governors :-)
I hate 183. I work near Lamar/183 and live just south of Oltorf on Burleson. It takes about 20 minutes to make the 10 mile drive in the morning and a half-hour in the evening taking I-35. I tried to go to 620 last night to meet some folks for dinner and once I hit the "parking lot" at Oak Knoll, I said "forget it!" and went home!
I think that's what kills me most: "I paid into the system! I want mine!" Conveniently forgetting that a) they spent all the money they put in long ago and b) the government never kept what they put, but spent it, and draws on the money coming in from their "ungrateful" kids and grandkids today to write their SocSec checks tomorrow!
So, how much to register a 2003 'Hummer' now?
I go thru that "parking lot" on the way home every day. We have waited for 35 minutes to get to the Anderson Mill light on occasion. That is probably the worst traffic tie-up in Austin. The lights past Anderson Mill on to 620 are so ridiculous, the traffic never gets to move thru them. The light you are at is green, but the one ahead is red. So much for the $8 million to syncronize traffic lights in Austin. What a JOKE. Your tax dollars at work. NOT in Austin
Ouch. Half glad I live south now. Anyway, I guess he lights are synched for the buses.
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.
Looks like we were right.
Not to worry. Financing is available.
The seeming paradox in my work is that I have a clue about spelling, but insist on ignoring it.
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