“As goes California, so goes the rest of the nation.”—unknown
WARNING: This episode of Labor Relations Radio discusses California politics—and the exodus of businesses and people—from a rather blunt perspective. If blunt political discussions cause you, as a listener, to drive erratically, raises your blood pressure, or otherwise impair your performance, please do not listen to this podcast without sitting down, perhaps with a glass of wine.
Businesses and People Are Fleeing California. Why?
The “exodus” of businesses and people out of California has made headlines over the last few years.
In 2020, California experienced a population decline for the first time in over one hundred years.
But why?
The California Policy Center (CPC), an educational non-profit working for the prosperity of all Californians by eliminating public-sector barriers to freedom, has created a database called the California Book of Exoduses, which documents the ‘exodus’ of individuals and businesses leaving the state.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Lance Christensen, CPC’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Labor Relations Radio host Peter List discusses the many issues affecting the once-Golden State of California, the historical causal factors, as well as the current climate—from union control of the politics inside Sacramento to wildfires and real estate prices.
One example of the Top Reasons Why People Are Moving Out of California are the high taxes. For example, the marginal income tax rate is currently at 13.3% but legislators want to increase it to almost 17%.
CPC Projects:
California Local Elected Officials (CLEO): CLEO is a membership organization that networks, educates, supports and advises local elected officials throughout California’s thousands of cities, counties, school and special districts
The Parent Union: The Parent Union engages, organizes and trains parents, students and community members to defend the constitutional right to a high-quality public education for all students.
The Janus Project: The Janus Project informs public-sector employees of their right—under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision—to refrain from having pay any part of his or her paycheck withheld by any union as a condition of employment.
Other Links of Interest:
Pension Reform Handbook: A Starter Guide for Reformers [in PDF]
CNN: Week of wildfires polluting air as much as year of cars
Snapcrap — Why I built an app to report poop on the streets of San Francisco
Then-Governor Ronald Reagan’s signing of CEQA, Air Resources Board & mental health reform bill and local government collective bargaining rights bills
California Is Moving Toward An $18 Minimum Wage. (Will $25 be next?)
Labor Relations Radio, Ep. 5—Guest: Lance Christensen of the California Policy Center