The loss of CA’n companies continues to take a toll on the Bay Area’s once-vibrant economy, particularly in Downtown SF—where announcements of yet another closed shop have become a regular, and seemingly never-ending, refrain. The California Globe’s Katy Grimes analyzes how CA’s exorbitant income tax is forcing out businesses and individuals, who frequently relocate to friendlier states like Texas.
Why are California businesses fleeing the once-Golden State in droves? Several articles this week answer that quite clearly….
Economist Art Laffer and Chapman Economics Professor James Doti lay out the numbers at the OC Register, and rightly declare that Gov. “Newsom doesn’t appear to see is the deleterious long-term effects of a highly progressive tax system. Case in point: The ‘one-percenters’ who pay 50% of the tax are voting with their feet by leaving California in droves.”
They explain that the ten states with the lowest income taxes including Florida and Texas, gained a cumulative net inflow from all Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) classes of $391 billion from California during the entire 2018 to 2021 period. Note that 2018 was the final year of Democrat Governor Jerry Brown. Gov. Newsom ran for governor in 2018 and was elected. He took office January of 2019, so the 2019-2021 belongs to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“The 10 states that ranked the highest in income taxes — California, New York and New Jersey are in this group — lost a cumulative net inflow in AGI of $391 billion. The fact that the 10 states with the lowest income taxes gained in AGI the same amount as the loss in AGI for the 10 states with the highest income taxes is not a coincidence….”
Where did these companies go?
Most went to Texas. Here’s why:
“Texas offers a combination of unique competitive business advantages that no other state can claim: a business-friendly climate—with no corporate or personal income tax—along with a highly skilled and diverse workforce, easy access to global markets, robust infrastructure and a reasonable regulatory environment,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said when he recently announced that another major California business was moving to Texas. “California-based Ruiz Foods is moving its corporate HQ to Frisco,” he said. “With an unrivaled business climate and skilled, diverse workforce, Texas is America’s #1 economic destination….”
Economists Laffer and Doti concluded: “Given the clear evidence of people moving from states with high-income tax rates to those with lower rates, especially those with higher AGIs, Newsom might find that lowering tax rates results in higher rather than lower tax revenues. The Laffer Curve is likely to be even more relevant for states than nations. It’s a lot easier crossing state rather than national boundaries.”
This article originally appeared in the California Globe. Read the whole thing here.
Read more on CA’s rampant business exoduses here and here.
Follow Opportunity Now on Twitter @svopportunity
Image by Wikimedia Commons