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

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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: business; calgov2002; california; crime; demographics; exodus; farming; grossmismanagement; illegalimmigration; politics; population; recall; taxes
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To: nickcarraway
You are going to leave?

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

41 posted on 08/09/2003 10:06:38 AM PDT by Jay D. Dyson (Steamroll the RINOs -- Vote for Tom McClintock! -- http://www.tommcclintock.com/)
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To: varon
Are the remaining people breeding like rabbits OR are illegals swarming across the border, hmmmmmm?

The illegals swarming across the border are breeding like rabbits. The most popular names for babies in California are Juan and Maria.

42 posted on 08/09/2003 10:15:19 AM PDT by Zevonismymuse
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To: nickcarraway
Why? Riots, earthquakes and a steep recession early in the 1990s left many fed up.

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.

43 posted on 08/09/2003 10:16:06 AM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: varon
California's fiscal problems aren't going to be solved by changing governors but by sealing the southern border.

Deserves repeating.

44 posted on 08/09/2003 10:47:56 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (A fiscally conservative social liberal is an oxymoron)
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To: BradyLS
I started working here in 1973. There was no traffic to speak of. When I moved 34 miles NW of here in 1990, I could get to work in 35-40 minutes on 183. Back then, there were bumper stickers on cars that said,

"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.

45 posted on 08/09/2003 10:53:20 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Clone Ann Coulter, the woman sent by God)
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To: Scott from the Left Coast
Well, for a good thought...maybe they'll leave and just the original conservative core of California will be left to fix what the liberal masses destroyed with their Green/socialist policies

IF we can ever cut off the flow of free stuff to the illegals and welfare lifers this could be a reality.

46 posted on 08/09/2003 10:53:59 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (A fiscally conservative social liberal is an oxymoron)
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
California's fiscal problems aren't going to be solved by changing governors but by sealing the southern border.
47 posted on 08/09/2003 10:55:23 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah; varon
California's fiscal problems aren't going to be solved by changing governors but by sealing the southern border.

Deserves repeating.

Oops. Our problems will also be solved by changing governors :-)

48 posted on 08/09/2003 11:00:58 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (A fiscally conservative social liberal is an oxymoron)
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To: Arrowhead1952
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.

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!

49 posted on 08/09/2003 11:58:15 AM PDT by BradyLS
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To: Geezerette
Yes, older people come here in droves ... bringing their greedy-geezer, FDR trained mindset with them.

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!

50 posted on 08/09/2003 12:06:18 PM PDT by BradyLS
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To: nickcarraway
After 48 1/2 years I left in '99. Haven't looked back!

So, how much to register a 2003 'Hummer' now?

51 posted on 08/09/2003 12:10:41 PM PDT by rockfish59
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To: BradyLS
I hit the "parking lot" at Oak Knoll

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

52 posted on 08/09/2003 12:38:09 PM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Clone Ann Coulter, the woman sent by God)
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To: Arrowhead1952
I go thru that "parking lot" on the way home every day.

Ouch. Half glad I live south now. Anyway, I guess he lights are synched for the buses.

53 posted on 08/09/2003 4:27:55 PM PDT by BradyLS
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To: Lizavetta
Yep, it's the taxes. Businesses are loosing the profit incentive, and now the people are seeing they are in the trap as well.

What do you think? Is Arnold smart enough to figure this out and get the message across to the people? Are the people smart enough to see it, or is all lost.

Me I don't know. It seems like it's iffy at best. I left CA a few years back.

54 posted on 08/09/2003 4:37:05 PM PDT by snooker
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To: nickcarraway
Funny, you ask any realtor in Southern Cal and most all will tell you, the existing inventory of homes for sale is very low. Hardly anyone is selling. And when they do, the home is sold sometimes in less than a week. LOL.....
55 posted on 08/09/2003 4:45:09 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf (1)
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To: sam_paine
Californian immigrants changed Austin from weird to "Starbucks Chic."

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.

56 posted on 08/09/2003 4:48:13 PM PDT by pke
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To: nickcarraway
During the CA energy crisis a couple of years ago, we predicted that the liberal policies were going to drive people and business away.

Looks like we were right.

57 posted on 08/09/2003 4:55:10 PM PDT by Jorge
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To: rockfish59
So, how much to register a 2003 'Hummer' now?

Not to worry. Financing is available.

58 posted on 08/09/2003 6:05:35 PM PDT by Euro-American Scum (Conservative babes with guns are so hot!)
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To: Joe Hadenuf
Dr. Thomas Sowell can answer your question much better than I. He often rihts about this seeming paradox.

Suffice to say that rent controls and the implementation of zoning land for greenbelts (which discourages development of housing of all kinds) in many southern California cities means that you have an entrenched gentry (not surprisingly, aging liberals who pay low rents and put the rules in place) that forces out low-income wage earners. Land is snapped up (the houses on it are worthless by comparison) by the wealthy, who know there is no other land to be had.

He's linked from Drudge's site.
59 posted on 08/09/2003 7:45:59 PM PDT by BradyLS
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To: BradyLS
...He often rihts writes about this seeming paradox...

The seeming paradox in my work is that I have a clue about spelling, but insist on ignoring it.

60 posted on 08/09/2003 7:48:45 PM PDT by BradyLS
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