By Will Swain
Mari Barke, director of CPC’s CLEO, was a featured panelist at The Policy Circle’s 6th Annual Leadership Summit last week in Fort Worth, Texas. The summit brings together women from across the country who are community, corporate and philanthropic leaders to discuss vital policy issues.
Mari joined a panel discussion on the historic shifts in state to state migration happening today, and explained the root causes of the California Exodus to summit attendees.
California saw a whopping $8.8 billion drop in adjusted gross income from lost taxpayers in 2019, and lost a congressional seat after the 2020 census because of the state’s population decline. For the first time since the start of the century, California saw a decline in the number of students attending public schools.
“We are seeing a clear pattern of people leaving our state because of its failed policies,” Barke said. “California’s high taxes and overregulation have resulted in businesses moving to other states.”
CEOs across the country rate California as the worst state to do business. In 2021, CNBC ranked California 47th for the cost of doing business, 48th for the cost of living, and 50th for business friendliness.
“When businesses leave, it’s not just a massive loss of capital and jobs, employees also take their wealth and students with them,” added Barke.
Skyrocketing housing prices and the highest state income taxes in the nation are also major drivers of California’s outbound migration. Crime, homelessness, out-of-control gas prices, along with the Golden State’s COVID policies that kept businesses and schools closed far longer than other states have also contributed to Californians moving to greener pastures.
“Especially with the growth in remote work, families are realizing they don’t have to stay in California.” Mari explained. “Parents are choosing to work in other states that have a lower cost of living and better education options for their kids.”
To see how many businesses have left California, check out CPC’s California Book of Exoduses here.
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