They said, “Go west,” but many Californians are going north, south and east.
For the fourth consecutive year, more residents left the Golden State than moved there from other states, according to a December report by the California Department of Finance.
The outflow – last seen during the economic and social struggles of the 1990s – started when it became too expensive for most people to buy homes in the state.
The trend underscores the state’s sour economy, as layoffs continue, the fiscal strain on government grows and home values decline.
While more births and rising international immigration boosted California’s population 1.16 percent in 2007, the state continued its steady stream of domestic outmigration – the movement of residents of one state to others.
In the last fiscal year, 135,173 more people moved out of California than moved in from other states. Though just a drop in the bucket for a state of 38 million people, the trend is significant because such declines usually occur when working Californians decide opportunities lie elsewhere.
I agree Joe, it IS frustrating that we don’t have the control over things like we thought we had over the last 10 years or so, when those 401K’s were going nowhere but up…
FWIW, I’m in an IRA now, since converting to an IRA, from a 401K in early 2007, which helped me diversify quite a bit, somewhat before the bloodbath in equities began.
I’m in the investing game for the long haul, and so not to worry about the short haul…
But contributing to the downer attitudes is not what I’m about…I’d rather help us get back to a positive business climate that helps all of us.
That is no reason for misplaced optimism on the things you can’t control, reality has its place and mark my word if this economic calamity we are living through is only a recession it will be cause for joy. Many, many people who are smarter than the both of us have good reason to believe otherwise. My suggestion is to keep your eyes open, stay well informed and make up your own mind.
California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks](http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget17-2009jan17,0,4472460.story) John Chiang announces that his office will suspend $3.7 billion in payments owed to Californians starting Feb. 1, as a result of the state’s cash crisis. Student grants are also affected.
By Evan Halper
11:24 AM PST, January 16, 2009
Reporting from Sacramento – State Controller John Chiang announced today that his office would suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants and other payments owed to Californians starting Feb. 1, as a result of the state’s cash crisis.
Chiang said he had no choice but to stop making some $3.7 billion in payments in the absence of action by the governor and lawmakers to close the state’s nearly $42-billion budget deficit. More than half of those payments are tax refunds.
The controller said the suspended payments could be rolled into IOUs if California still lacked sufficient cash to pay its bills come March or April.
“I take this action with great reluctance,” Chiang said at a news conference in his office. But he said that without action to close the deficit, “there is no way to make it through February unscathed.”
The payments to be frozen include nearly $2 billion in tax refunds; $300 million in cash grants for needy families and the aged, blind and disabled; and $13 million in grants for college students.
Sure… As long as we can also admit that most government policies don’t work too, well, unless of course you want to invade another country and force a regime change.
The dividends of “invading” Iraq may take decades to mature but if they don’t we will just have to be content that a murderous regime was replaced and that millions of Iraqis have been given the opportunity to live in freedom.
California has been a laboratory for all the failed liberal thinking for the last 40 years. Let’s hope that Washington D/C. actually learns that it doesn’t work.
Whether it’s healthcare, social, education, immigration, energy, or environmental policy, CA provides ample examples of of failed liberal ideas.
I don’t know Mikey I wouldn’t write off California off just yet. The religious Fascists were able to crush the forces of liberty & freedom with the passage of Prop-8. Of course it only cost the Mormon Church a few hundred million dollars to pull off the stunt, but still it’s a start.
