State of the State – California

by Jack Lee

I like to keep you updated on the overall picture of this state in the wild hope that come election day you will vote the bums out of office. Okay, so maybe I’m delusional, but I still cling to withering hope some day voters will wake up and vote smart.

Are you ready for your update? Here’s your 2 minute version of the state of the Great State of California:

Fact: California depends on 200,000 wealthy taxpayers for 25% of its income.

Fact: This state ranks only behind New York in the number of outward bound moving vans.

Fact: Between 1997 and 2007 this state lost 26% of it’s factory jobs.

Fact: Between 1997 and 2007 California lost 35% of it’s high tech factory jobs.

Fact: California has the lowest debt rating of any state in the union.

Fact: We have the 4th highest unemployment rate and growing.

Fact: Our job growth is 20% behind the national average.

Fact: We rank a low 48th out of 50 in public education.

Fact: We have among the highest healthcare insurance rates due to state imposed mandates.

Fact: Many city and counties allow public safety retirements at age 50 and they will pay at least 90% of the employee’s final year salary…. and they get paid forever.

Fact: The State pours 3 billion a year into the state retirement fund, more than 10 times what they did just 10 years ago and they still have large unfunded liabilities.

Fact: More than 5,000 state employees enjoy pensions exceeding $100,000.

Now here’s the good part. If you don’t like all this stupidity and paying 8.25% and up for local sales tax and being 8th in the nation for highest overall taxation, you just step across the state line and its not your problem anymore. By the way, we would be much higher in taxes if it were not for Prop 13 which the democrats want to repeal.

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