[wusher]

When a state increases its expenses every year, it has two choices, grow the tax base or rase the tax rates.

California is already one of the most taxed states and greater increases in tax rates will likely shrink its tax base.

[jeffbee]

The overall tax burden in California ranks 12th among the states, between Iowa and Nebraska. It is not a particularly high-tax state. The cost-of-living issues arise from the lack of housing. It is still a regulatory burden—the lack of housing is caused by bad local government—but it is not a tax as such.

[lumb63]

Do you have a source on the tax burden? I’m living in Massachusetts right now (notoriously called Taxachusetts by some here), and CA sales and income tax rates look to be about 50% and double the rates here, respectively. It looks like property taxes are about 50% higher here, but income and sales tax is way bigger than property tax in my experience. Not to mention California’s notorious gas tax.

[hackeraccount]

I'm not saying that's inaccurate but figuring out tax burden - because of the distinction between rates and what's collected, the state and localities and the way benefits are allocated (among many other things) can be really confusing.

[wusher]

I never said it was the top. being 12th out of 50 does make it a high tax state. Also, the high cost of living is not just the lack of housing. There is a massive regulatory burden on all aspects of california life.

[seanmcdirmid]

Given that people make much more money in California than in Iowa or Nebraska, that is still a lot of taxes coming in.