any Californian's thinking of leaving the state?

Needledik wrote:

Insane home prices nobody can afford, traffic 24/7,

Nobody goes there anymore.

It's too crowded.

love how folks in california think it's the only place with good produce. That seemed to be a reason for staying in california listed by a number of people.

If you weren't working 24/7 trying keep up with the rest of the lemmings, and trying to pay off a way over priced home, you'd have time and energy to do your own garden.

Left california 18 years ago and haven't looked back.

Eating fresh produce that was produced off the backs of an exploited immigrant population and using tons of pesticides is not my idea of an example of good-fresh-sustainable-produce.

Harambe wrote:

California is in trouble due to Prop 13 and other big housing issues.

It can be fixed but 'locals' fight it tooth and nail -- no better than Hillary Clinton IMO.

Build, build, build, and in 20 years things should be much better. Sadly that's 20 years.

California's most dangerous export is liberals looking for lower costs of living. Texans are well aware of this as the state is decidedly purple now.

Also illegal immigration is out of control

Fixed a couple things for ya!

So many people have Pure Evil or Pure Good opinions. I find it interesting that most of the CA posters have positive things to say, while outsiders have only bad things to say.

California has good and bad. So does Wyoming, Kansas, Texas, Massachusetts, Minnesota or anywhere else. If you hate it, move on and find somewhere you like. But if you continuously bash any place, it is likely you are the one with the issue, not the place.

Very few things are Pure Evil or Pure Good. Remember that last Presidential election? How many people thought we had a great choice? Both candidates had serious negative issues. Most people chose the "lesser of two evils" in their own point of view. With a place, you have infinite choices. Choose wisely and be happy with it or choose again. Peace.

Have lived in Europe, Upper Michigan, Chicago and NorCal.

There are good and bad things about all these places. Cali is damn expensive and my income is the same here as it would be in Marquette, MI. Do I think about leaving? Sometimes. I hate the traffic and the high cost of living. Found the Midwest much more friendly and "old'fashioned" in a good way.

But the weather and geography are too good to leave behind. I have mountains and ocean and redwoods in all directions. I have 20 favorite Strava running segments that are so good that nothing in the aforementioned places can even compare.

So, yeah, take away the cost and all the people, and California would be heaven on earth.

Regarding "California is too expensive" - for me, long term, due to home value appreciation, California will be one of the least expensive places I lived. In a sense, I'm getting paid to live here.

I bought my current home in 2013 and it is up over 50% since then. I lived in Colorado before California and my place went up less than 10% in 7 years. Before that I had a place in NJ, same thing (10% appreciation in 7 years).

Combine that with a low interest rate of 3.25% and strictly from a financial standpoint it would be foolish to leave. I'll keep my place until I need the money then probably rent for the remainder of my life.

This discussion is a little silly. Of course some Californians are thinking of leaving. Others are thinking of staying. Some people that live somewhere else are thinking of coming and some aren't.

Dwightarm wrote:

I’m actually planning on moving back to CA. Love the weather, the cultures, the beach, the vibe.

Thing I love most about California? The quality of the produce.

And those immigrants who don’t speak English are the ones who have the best restaurants and pick the best produce. So I’ll be real happy moving back.

Fake NPC hasbarat post.

There's just something.....douchey about California and Californians.

Sorry, but I'll be quietly giggling when the big one destroys NorCal or SoCal, or both. Plenty of us will be. Hopefully there are at least a few of you smart enough to carry earthquake coverage on your home. I knew almost nobody who carried it, and when I pressed them about it, they just shrugged and had absolutely no plan, nor an answer, for what they'd do if the worst happened. That's California in my mind. Selfish, douche bag, shallow clowns.

"Yeah dude, I dunno, I guess I'll, well, I dunno dude. Hope that doesn't happen. Gotta go now so I can consider my own navel."

[Composed before D. Touche's posting on quakes & insurance, but I didn't post it for a while.]

Despite the calming effects of distance running for fitness, I'm generally a quivering mass of angst, in the best of times, so imagine what I'll be like when the Next One happens in Cali.

It'll be worse than the starting scrum of the Bay to Breakers race! There hasn't even been a significant quake in my neck o' the CA woods (or what's left after wildfires) for years, but it's only a matter of time before Gloom and Doom come knockin'. (I hope I've already met my maker by then). My Republican neighbors even agree with me. Many a room with a view will become a tomb for a few.

After the Next One hits, there'll be a few more refugees fleeing from Cali, and some will even plant roots in Tornado Alley. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Or is it the other way around, in this case (what with the wildfire trends of late)? They will want to post here about how, because earthquake insurance was a challenge to afford in CA, they won't be able to rebuild in situ, but because the Internet will be down for ages in quake-ravaged California, they won't be able to cyber-b*tch for a while.

That is, those (and me?) who have survived Earthquake Central.

Others (and me?) will be found in their running shorts and Nike shoes flattened under fallen brick facades. Well, every day is a perfect running day in Cali, until the walls come tumblin' down, and the walls come crumblin' crumblin', and the walls come tumblin' tumblin' downnnn.

(With apologies to Ron Cougar Reagancamp, a late Californian Republican, for pinching some of his lyrics.)

The event will give new meaning to the term "running BOOM".

Ain't Cali the perfect locale, give or take a few major issues?

Harambe wrote:

At least there is a nice budget surplus despite being totally hamstrung with property taxes (again prop 13).

Not really. All Jerry did to produce his 'surplus' was to kick the underfunded state pension debt down the road. That's gonna get ugly in the near future.

Also, I like Prop 13 ... it keeps senior citizens from being forced out of their homes due to rising taxes. It could be tweaked (getting commercial properties out of the prop 13 regime as well as tightening up who is eligible to take over a prop13 tax value IE NOT children of the aforementioned seniors).

Don't understand how such an awesome state with such a great economy can allow a record (and growing) number of homeless people to be left to die on their streets. Sad.

Please please wrote:

Don't understand how such an awesome state with such a great economy can allow a record (and growing) number of homeless people to be left to die on their streets. Sad.

Let them work at Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Google.

Please please wrote:

Don't understand how such an awesome state with such a great economy can allow a record (and growing) number of homeless people to be left to die on their streets. Sad.

Californians dont care about the mentally ill. They would rather allow them to live and die like stray dogs in the street than provide treatment, shelter and basic human dignities.

DoucheyTouche wrote:

There's just something.....douchey about California and Californians.

Sorry, but I'll be quietly giggling when the big one destroys NorCal or SoCal, or both. Plenty of us will be. Hopefully there are at least a few of you smart enough to carry earthquake coverage on your home. I knew almost nobody who carried it, and when I pressed them about it, they just shrugged and had absolutely no plan, nor an answer, for what they'd do if the worst happened. That's California in my mind. Selfish, douche bag, shallow clowns.

"Yeah dude, I dunno, I guess I'll, well, I dunno dude. Hope that doesn't happen. Gotta go now so I can consider my own navel."

Yes, in your mind. LOL

Poster reinforces my point for me! Thanks D-Bag. Good luck with climate change, duuuudddde.

STSBO wrote:

DoucheyTouche wrote:

There's just something.....douchey about California and Californians.

Sorry, but I'll be quietly giggling when the big one destroys NorCal or SoCal, or both. Plenty of us will be. Hopefully there are at least a few of you smart enough to carry earthquake coverage on your home. I knew almost nobody who carried it, and when I pressed them about it, they just shrugged and had absolutely no plan, nor an answer, for what they'd do if the worst happened. That's California in my mind. Selfish, douche bag, shallow clowns.

"Yeah dude, I dunno, I guess I'll, well, I dunno dude. Hope that doesn't happen. Gotta go now so I can consider my own navel."

Yes, in your mind. LOL

Harambe wrote:

Harambean wrote:

Ahh, so I was in the dark about Prop 13. On the surface it sounds great, but I get what you're saying about everyone else picking up the tax slack because old homeowners don't want to pay. Seems like CA homeowners have a bit too much power here. They certainly made Prop 10 look like the end of the world on the commercials.

Yeah you're spot on.

I'd imagine its gotten worse over the decades as home values represent a huge amount of the wealth increase in the state. People want to protect their golden goose.

Ahem. The real beneficiaries of Prop 13 are business, not 'old' homeowners. Business can stay in the same location for a lot longer than an older person is expected to live. Plus, the lost property taxes are much larger with businesses than with homeowners.

Is California really that expensive? Looking at apartments in San Diego and they're pretty affordable.

Bullsh!t.

But when I die I wouldn't want to come back a 3rd dimension Earth.

A N D, the act of long distance running was the best physical experience.

Quid pro quo.