Who's actually leaving California (restaurant, vs., stores)

[Count David]

Why can't some people simply vote with their feet?

Try and get welfare in Colorado. Do it. Try. Lemme know how you do.

For those of you who want it and can't get it in CA, try WA. You'll get new tooths and everything.

[nslander]

Who ordered the tandoori chicken?

[nslander]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

Well you proud Californians always tout about your better salaries than the rest of the country, so you would therefore always reach higher brackets than other states correct? How is that not more of your problem than mine?

Nice tell. Can't even troll right.

[rednas]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

I think it's medium well.

You need to make more money in California so you can pay more for the welfare than the other states. Let me guess, IT job? I wonder if you defend this state mostly because you can't really leave since IT jobs are limited to only a select few states where a large city is where you must work for the rest of your life.

Texas IS better than California, Toyota thinks so too.

I do not work in Tech. I spent 27 years of my life in California. I have TONS of great memories there and all of my family lives there which is why I dont talk negatively about it. For me Texas just offered a better opportunity at the time than California. I know that I am in a situation that is unique due to that.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

I think it's medium well.

You need to make more money in California so you can pay more for the welfare than the other states. Let me guess, IT job? I wonder if you defend this state mostly because you can't really leave since IT jobs are limited to only a select few states where a large city is where you must work for the rest of your life.

Texas IS better than California, Toyota thinks so too.

This may upset you, but I moved from Texas to California because my opportunities to advance my career were far greater here. And no, I don't work in IT. I work in a creative field and Texas is comparatively a wasteland.

My quality of life in California is off the charts compared to Texas, though my standard of living (measured in Texas terms by material possessions) is less. I make more money in California for the lesser position I took to come here. I have greater opportunities for advancement. I live healthier. I enjoy the area more. I'm saving more for retirement. My increased tax liability is offset by lower utilities and lessened vehicle expense. And my weekends are like epic vacations.

For the Average Joe, you are probably right, Texas is a better place to live a good life on an Average Joe job. But California is a place to be better than that. In Texas, you find your niche, you become successful, and you don't rock the boat. In California, you don't become successful UNTIL you rock the boat. Then, all bets are off and all limits are removed. It's simply different and it appeals to a different kind of person.

For me, California is better in ways I can't even describe. I understand how Texas can be better for others, though. I think that's a really good thing, too. They are different places that attract different people, businesses, and mindsets. That will likely never change.

Oh, and as to your principled disdain for paying taxes--what about property taxes? In Texas, a $250,000 home can run up the property tax bill of an $800,000 home. And guess what? It stays with the home in perpetuity. In fact, it increases as the value of the property increases. Even after it's paid for, you still owe. Where's your principle about not paying the government for property that you own then?

My effective property tax rate in the suburbs of Houston was an amazing 3.94% once MUD was added in. I had to contest my valuation every year--miss it, and pay the sucker rate for a whole year! How is it less egregious to pay an exorbitant amount for property taxes forever?

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

For the Average Joe, you are probably right, Texas is a better place to live a good life on aAverage Joe job.

Oh oh... someone's an averagejoephobic! There should be a big sign on the California boarder... Average Joes go home!

J/K It's been entertaining reading (I little bit of) this thread.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by fishinfor

Try livin there and applying for housing or food stamps. Those numbers sound about right though. Hispanics get about half f the gov't giveaway leaving the Caucasian, black, Asian native American emigrant Europeans who came into this country legally to split up the rest. How is it fair when 30 percent of the population are taking 50 percent of the help from the gov.
P.S. My best friend is Hispanic
Just lookin to make an honest livin,
fishinfor

so what you are saying is that there is a dollar cap on the total amount spent by the gov't on housing assistance and food stamps and Hispanics get 1/2 of the total and everyone else has to split what is left? Wow..I have heard some crazy stuff here but that one takes the cake.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

^ Says the bay area user.

My mother is leaving the state as well, she hasn't found a full-time dental hygiene job for the last 8 years and the hours have only been cutting shorter since. I'm sure it must have been some terrible mistake that somehow she didn't actually try for every state and private office job in a 100 mile radius; what a GREAT state.

maybe that's because Mom is still living in the 50's. For the past 20 years every hygienist that I know of works as independent contractors for several dentists with a day or two in each office and they do VERY, VERY well. Or maybe Mom has a pleasant personality like you do and people run when they see her walk up to the dental chair.

[revelated]

I live in Washington since 2012. And frankly, I can't stand Washington State. Architecturally it's a cluster. Everything outside of Seattle is purposely built to separate where you live from where you get stuff done, and it's annoying. In Seattle, everything is too close together, so you have this hodge-podge of transportation and not enough privacy or noise abatement. You also don't have basic creature comforts (like dedicated garages) in a lot of areas, particularly in and near downtown. Downtown itself is a chokepoint that they refuse to address, they're digging a hole that's doomed before it began, and hipsters chase out the good people.

HOWEVER...however...I am financially better off in Washington State than I ever could be in California, doing the same work (IT). That has nothing to do with job opportunities; there are actually tons of IT jobs in California (less than there used to be a decade ago, but still). The problem with California is that the state doesn't make it easy for employers to really make things lucrative for prospective employees.

• House prices are signficantly higher, speaking from a West Coast comparison, than most other areas for the same level of house. A 1200 sq foot home in Poway costs more than a 2,000 sq foot home in Puyallup, even though they are fundamentally identical in footprint (besides population).
• Not just HOA fees but Mello Roos for any home built after the 80's, which means you're paying hundreds more just to own the home, despite your property taxes likely being lower.
• State income tax on top of Federal income tax means that you're essentially getting double-dipped despite the tax being based on the Federal AGI.
• State and local sales taxes in addition to State sales tax means that you're effectively getting double taxed by the state (you make $50k/year, you get a refund of $500, you spend it and pay taxes, you're basically giving that money right back to the state)

Given the above, an employee is looking to make more money than they would normally need for the same quality of life to offset the expense of living there. The California employer is looking to pay someone, say, $60k/year for a job that could earn $90k/year in Nashville, Tennessee, a place with a substantially lower cost of living (thus your money goes farther) or in Washington State, a place with no state income tax (thus you keep more of it). Same job, same work scope.

In California, that $60k quickly gets cut in half, accounting for taxes.
In Washington, that $90k goes down to around $80k, accounting for taxes.

A person has to decide: is it worth getting paid less and taking home even less to see the sun 340 days out of the year and have beaches around, plus plenty of restaurants, stores and a better-built freeway system?

Or is it worth getting paid significantly more, keeping more, being able to "settle down", even though you have to give up the basics of an evolved society and deal with terrible commutes?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by revelated

A person has to decide: is it worth getting paid less and taking home even less to see the sun 340 days out of the year and have beaches around, plus plenty of restaurants, stores and a better-built freeway system?

Or is it worth getting paid significantly more, keeping more, being able to "settle down", even though you have to give up the basics of an evolved society and deal with terrible commutes?

Your post is all about the almighty dollar(s). There is more to enjoyment of where you're living and overall contentment than mere money (cue-in the sounds of exploding heads).