California is Everything Under the Sun – Greetings from California
Greetings from California! For visitors California is a promised land of sunshine, beaches, world famous mountain peaks and bikini clad Hollywood stars living life large with excesses of money and all the things it can buy. The images that tourists cling to are the bright spot in the California economy. Tourism is one of two financial sectors showing growth and improvements during a time when cities are declaring bankruptcy and the state can’t even find the hidden budgets of its numerous departments. The funds that are “trusted” money not regularly monitored by government could exceed $1 billion after audits are performed.
To Californians the picture still includes sunshine, great weather and good times, but we’re also feeling a hangover. Heavy doses of reality include summer traffic and crowds, tax burdens, and lack of services that other states now tout.
- If California were a world economy it would rank #9 in the world, down from its high of #5. It slipped in 2012 from #8 to #9.
- California ranks as the #1 worst state for doing business. It has ranked at the bottom for many years, so there’s nothing new here.
- California kids rank 41 out of 50 for well-being combining education, health and financial prosperity. More than 22% of California kids live in poverty.
- While it is claimed that more people are leaving California than moving in, the annual census count doesn’t bare that out. The state continues to grow by approx. half a million each year. People still want to live in California!
