REGULATION, NOT TAXES
Taxes are high in California, but they are also easy to notice and, hence, to cut (witness the brouhaha over the car tax) or defeat. Regulation is a lot harder to stop in the first place and almost impossible to roll back. Take a look at this list of bills the state legislature just passed. These folks never met a bossy business idea they didn't like. (Link via Kausfiles.) No wonder I keep meeting homesick Californians who've moved to Texas to do business.