Why in the world would anyone still want to live in the state of California at this point? Residents of California have been forced to endure a brutally oppressive level of taxation for many years, and yet the state of California has still managed to find itself on the verge of bankruptcy. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a "fiscal emergency" in his state on Thursday, but nobody is even pretending that such a declaration is actually going to help matters. Brown wants to cut even deeper into the state budget (even after tens of billions have already been slashed out of it in recent years) and he wants to explore ways to raise even more revenue. Meanwhile, the standard of living in California is going right into the toilet. Housing values are plummeting. Unemployment has risen above 20 percent in many areas of the state. Crime and gang activity is on the rise even as police budgets are being hacked to the bone. The health care system is an absolute disaster. At this point California has the fewest emergency rooms per million people out of all 50 states. While all of this has been going on, the state legislature in Sacramento has been very busy passing hundreds of new laws that are mostly about promoting one radical agenda or another. The state government has become so radically anti-business that it is a wonder that any businesses have remained in the state. It seems like the moving vans never stop as an endless parade of businesses and families leave California as quickly as they can.
One of the only things keeping the population of California relatively stable at this point are the massive hordes of illegal immigrants that are constantly pouring into California cities. There are certain areas of major California cities that you simply do not ever want to go into anymore. In fact, there are rumors that the police will not even venture into certain areas anymore.
Traffic in California is a bigger nightmare than it ever has been before and the state cannot even keep up with repairing the roads and infrastructure that it already has. There are a few areas of California where you can still see the promise of greatness and the amazing natural beauty that once attracted tens of millions of Americans to the state, but they are few and far between now. At this point, most of the state is turning into one gigantic hellhole.
Perhaps the state could have some hope of turning things around if they had some solid leadership, but at this point the vast majority of the politicians in the state are pushing agendas that are so "radical" (not in a good way) and so "anti-American" that it is absolutely frightening.
Of course on top of everything else there is the constant threat of wildfires, mudslides and earthquakes. One day a really "big earthquake" is going to hit, and once that happens many people believe that the geography of the state of California could be permanently altered forever.
But what most people are focused on right now is the horrific financial condition that the state of California currently is in. Governor Brown recently summarized his analysis of California's financial condition with the following statement: "We've been living in fantasy land. It is much worse than I thought. I'm shocked."
Yes, things really are that bad in California.
The following are 22 facts about California that make you wonder why anyone would still want to live in that hellhole of a state....
#1 The California state government is facing a potential state budget deficit of 19 billion dollars this year, and California debt is rapidly approaching junk status. One way or another the taxpayers of California are going to have to pay for this mess somehow.
#2 California Governor Jerry Brown recently unveiled a "draconian" budget plan for 2011 that includes 12 billion dollars more in spending cuts and that maintains 12 billion dollars in recent tax increases.
#3 The state of California currently has the third highest state income tax in the nation: a 9.55% tax bracket at $47,055 and a 10.55% bracket at $1,000,000.
#4 California has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation by far at 8.25%. Indiana has the next highest at 7%.
#5 Residents of California pay the highest gasoline taxes (over 67 cents per gallon) in the United States.
#6 California had more foreclosure filings that any other U.S. state in 2010. The 546,669 total foreclosure filings during the year means that over 4 percent of all the housing units in the state of California received a foreclosure filing at some point during 2010.
#7 Home prices in some areas of California have completely fallen off a cliff. For example, the average home in Merced, California has declined in value by 63 percent over the past four years.
#8 725 new laws (most of them either completely pointless or completely stupid) went into effect in the state of California on January 1st.
#9 20 percent of the residents of Los Angeles County are now receiving public aid of one kind or another.
#10 The number of people unemployed in the state of California is approximately equal to the populations of Nevada, New Hampshire and Vermont combined.
#11 In some areas of California, the level of unemployment is absolutely nightmarish. For example, 24.3 percent of the residents of El Centro, California are now unemployed.
#12 Residents of California pay some of the highest electricity prices in the entire nation.
#13 The state of California ranks dead last out of all 50 states in the number of emergency rooms per million people.
#14 According to one survey, approximately 1 out of every 4 Californians under the age of 65 has absolutely no health insurance.
#15 At one point last year it was reported that in the area around Sacramento, California there was one closed business for every six that were still open.
#16 In the late 70s, California was number one in per-pupil spending on education, but now the state has fallen to 48th place.
#17 In one school district in California, children as young as five years old are being forced to watch propaganda films that tout the benefits of "alternative lifestyles", and parents are being told that no "opting out" will be permitted.
#18 The crime rate in the San Diego school system is escalating out of control. The following is what San Diego School Police Chief Don Braun recently told the press about the current situation....
"Violent crime in schools has risen 31 percent. Property crime has risen 12 percent. Weapons violations (have gone up) almost 8 percent."
#19 Oakland, California Police Chief Anthony Batts announced last year that due to severe budget cuts there are a number of crimes that his department will simply not be able to respond to any longer. The crimes that the Oakland police will no longer be responding to include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism.
#20 Things have gotten so bad in Stockton, California that the police union put up a billboard with the following message: "Welcome to the 2nd most dangerous city in California. Stop laying off cops."
#21 During one recent 23 year period, the state of California built 23 prisons but just one university.
#22 The farther you look into the future, the worse California's financial problems become. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, California's unfunded pension liability is estimated to be somewhere between $120 billion and $500 billion at this point.
So could the state of California actually go bankrupt?
In Washington D.C., some lawmakers are now working very hard behind the scenes to come up with a way to allow individual U.S. states to declare bankruptcy.
If something like that is worked out in Washington, then certainly the state of California would potentially be one of the first states to take advantage of it.
Unfortunately, the truth is that the state of California is a complete and total mess at this point, and not even bankruptcy is going to fix much.
The state has become a rotting, festering hellhole that is getting worse by the day. Yes, some really good people still live there, but there are some really, really good reasons why so many people are leaving the state in droves.
But perhaps you disagree. Does anyone want to state the case in favor of the state of California? Please feel free to express your opinion below....
Illegals immigration and the stupid, dysfunctional State
legislature – have ruined this State
The people have no voice . They do what their left
wing, highly controlling masters tell
them to
i’m getting the hell out of here after living here for 2 weeks
california is a fun place to visit. I like going there to see the attractions and themeparks. Although it takes an hour to get anywhere due to the impossible old tattered freeways. The sights arent pretty unless you are very north. My in laws live in san dimas and when we stay we have to watch how much water we use. So family baths it is! Iive in az and have all my life. I love it here and we have fashion, music, art, education, and police!!!! My home is 2400sq ft in low crime beautiful area for 180,000. Yeah I might visit but ix rather not fight to get a job or an education or help from the police. Thanks.
AZ, you should have to watch your water use as well. You live in a DESERT!
I agree
I happy i’m leaving this helleole
I have lived in Sacramento (Suckramento) my whole life. My parent’s live here, and do their parent’s. While it does suck paying so much in taxes, having roads that are not much better than dirt roads, and politicians who care more about getting paid for doing nothing to help us, I love it here. Lake Tahoe is two hours away. The ocean is two hours away. Reno is two hours away. Vegas is a two hour flight. Sacramento has a decent music scene here, and since I play guitar in a band, that is very important to me.
While I might be unemployed, have no medical insurance, and see no good ahead of me, I wouldn’t think of leaving CA, because it is all I know. CA may very well be a ****** hole, but its MY ************* hole, and I plan on dying here. Even if CA is what kills me.
Hate it born there hate it. I want my rights. Fascist rich hater democrats get rights I do not. Oh and thank CA for a wounderfull stay in juvinile hall for 4 months for drunk in public. Oh and thanks for my roommate Roy Corbitt he was a murderer. I was just a kid WTF. I carry a gun everywhere now and if you try to take it I will kill you.
I was born in state of California and have lived there for over 30 years. If you live in a rural area such as the beach or the mountains you are ok, but if you live closer to big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco then it sucks because it is very overcrowded with illegal immigrants and gang bangers. I can remember back in the 80′s, you couldn’t pay me to leave California, now I was happy to leave because it was just unbearable for me. I am in New Mexico now, and it is way more affordable, so much that I have my own place no roommates, cable t.v. and maid service.
yeh
While California has beautiful weather and scenery that is about all that it has for an everyday working person. Ownership a nice home at a reasonable with an affordable monthly mortgage payment is next to impossible for regular everyday working people. Additionally, renting a nice apartment with anemities like an in unit washer and dryer or central air conditioning is extremely expensive. To top it off illegal immigrants seem to enjoy some type of preferred status in California which is extremely unfair to working class people who pay taxes. Next, the rich democratic liberals like Pelosi, Boxer, Feinstein and Brown help to ruin the state with their blatant liberalism in the form of gay marriage and unfair tax increases. Save your time and money, and don’t ever move to California as it’s an okay place to visit but hell to live at forever unless your rich.
agreed
I was born and raised in the Bay Area. I currently live outside of Sacrament, (I hate the central Valley). The thing with CA is we have great weather, and there is always something to do. The natural beauty and great diversity is what keeps me here but I would consider a move to the U.K but Cali will always be home. I believe we will make a come back, just hold on to your nickers! LOL
id rather live in spain
I lived in Canada most of my life, however I lived a few years in Texas, Arizona, and California.
Some of the best sites, places to do and see are in California. As lived in many places The economy is hard everywhere for middle-class. True even some higher un employment for metropolitan areas.. I love my apple products, think creative, and love media productions…
However when I opened a MacBook the other day, I notice Designed in California? Well half the parts come from companies like Foxconn in China. Then makes me think how a lot of the companies left North America for cheaper labor means… I really think for USA and Canada for that matter should have better government enforcement and better incentives to keep jobs at home… I hear of all the abuse of overseas work in other companies that Chianese workers have to work 20 hours a day frequently if not they are fired, lose their house etc… Now if we kept the jobs at home shared the hours, then there is no reason why people can not get a fair 8 hours a day 5 days a week! If the jobs are lost then what are good people going to do? The average house price here in Ontario Canada for cities around 200,000 people are about 325,000 $ USD Ginger box house …Unless you frequent media job, devorce lawyer, plastic surgeon the. You have it made… If your an auto worker laid off then have to fight for a McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart job..my heart goes out to y’all.. This sucks Im just studying media relations and just work contracts.. I faced periods of un employment for 3 to 6 months…if I ever got a decent sum of money I rather still live in Cali.. Near a beach…any time..but really we try to just live normal? North American Dream? What’s that? I thought to have a home, have a family, see your loved ones safe and happy??? It’s starting to seem lost.. Maybe that’s me bit that’s my dream. God bless y’all!
i hate it in ca
This is a message to UPGEYA. What a load of liberal crap!!!! Those statements come directly from “Liberal University Brainwashing 101″. Do you actually hear yourself?? You target Enron, and big banks for the problems in california. Yes, Enron screwed us……, yes banks forclosed on home loans…… Look closer at the Fed chairman, and that socialist president Barry S. They lowered interest rates (SO LOW) and forced the investors to change up where their investment money went. Compound that with greedy real estate brokers and that is the bubble that burst. By the way, little of that has anything to do with the problem of illlegal immigration. If you add up all the welfare, all of the special services, all of the hospital and clinic charges that are spent annually, your uninformed head would explode. Numbers and logic are not “Tea Party Emotionalism”, they are facts. Facts that idiots like Ms. Boxer, and Ms. Frankenstien, and you cannot just accept. Eventually, somebody has to work to pay for these services. And finally, dont all of the citizens of this country have a right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness?????”. Why doesn’t the constitution ever protect me?????????????????????????????????????
yeh sure
I’ve livedin california my entire life I love it out here there’s everything to do only problem is the racist people its funny cause people point the finger at mexicans taking about illegal imigrants when we’re all imigrants decendents from another country what really is an american someone who forgot they’re culture hahaha I’m mexican american and proud people need to love and respect each other no matter what color or language you speak
California will sort itself out. The allure of the state, the beauty, and the culture is still present. I’ve traveled to almost every state in our great country and California ranks at the top in “best destinations”.
Even the worst areas can be improved by residents themselves taking action. American ingenuity will prevail and Californian ingenuity will prevail with it. People need to be good to their neighbors no matter where they’re from. Help one another and always Pay It Forward. Spread out so you’re not living like sardines. The desert and inland California communities would be amazing places to call home. If there are some things that you think you can do to change your community, volunteer or organize a committee. Volunteerism is the key to fixing things. If there is something that you don’t like about your community, step up and change it yourself. Take charge. Volunteer.
I’m from NYC, and have visited various places in CA several times. There was a time when people left the East Coast to move to CA. Now it’s virtually unheard of. I can’t understand why NYC has been able to reinvent itself for the better over the past 30 years, while CA has gone in the opposite direction. NYC is a utopian dream compared to the way it was in the 70s. If we can do it, then so can CA!
NYC is a ************************* where two classes of people 1% live and 99% exist. Take a ride on the train at 7p.m. and see how overcrowded it is with people heading home from their 40k a year jobs for which they do 60+ hours a week. Kids don’t see their parents and learn how to become abusive mongrels from NYC public schools. Entire city is ready to fly off the handle. The only parts of the city where you will find careless easy going smiling people is tourists attractions and 60th – 80th between 5th and park ave where the Bloombergians with their gazillions live.