How California is turning the rest of the West blue (Atlas red)

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Yes and high taxes are what cause high unemployment and a failing economy.

You do realize California's economy is doing just fine, don't you? It just doesn't favor low skill manufacturing and other things that can be done in low cost states. High tech companies and high tech manufacturing, along with the entertainment industry and other industries dependent on location (like the trade industry) are doing just fine. And it's not high taxes that cause a high cost of living. If I move back to California, it will be higher rent/mortgage that will cause a higher cost of living as opposed to taxes. And I would have a 6 figure income.....

California's unemployment rate was about 3% higher than the U.S. in late 2011, when we were undergoing some brutal austerity measures. In 2012, voters approved higher sales taxes and a millionaire's tax. Now our books are balanced and our economy is on a tear. We're adding jobs, and they're actually good, high-paying jobs as opposed to the low-income service jobs other states are adding. We're only ~1.5% higher than the national average now, and making good progress on closing that gap further.

California's unemployment rate dropped from a high of 12%+ down to 8.7%. That's not as good as Colorado percentage-wise, but we've been adding jobs at a faster pace.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Yes and high taxes are what cause high unemployment and a failing economy.

You do realize California's economy is doing just fine, don't you? It just doesn't favor low skill manufacturing and other things that can be done in low cost states. High tech companies and high tech manufacturing, along with the entertainment industry and other industries dependent on location (like the trade industry) are doing just fine. And it's not high taxes that cause a high cost of living. If I move back to California, it will be higher rent/mortgage that will cause a higher cost of living as opposed to taxes. And I would have a 6 figure income.....

California's unemployment rate was about 3% higher than the U.S. in late 2011, when we were undergoing some brutal austerity measures. In 2012, voters approved higher sales taxes and a millionaire's tax. Now our books are balanced and our economy is on a tear. We're adding jobs, and they're actually good, high-paying jobs as opposed to the low-income service jobs other states are adding. We're only ~1.5% higher than the national average now, and making good progress on closing that gap further.

California's unemployment rate dropped from a high of 12%+ down to 8.7%. That's not as good as Colorado percentage-wise, but we've been adding jobs at a faster pace.

I'm glad to hear that. Spending must be down too.

Brown reversed many of the deep cuts to education and other programs after the tax passed. That was the point. California was given the choice between austerity and paying an extra 0.25% on purchases. We chose the latter, because education is crucial to the high-tech economy of the state.