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The great California brain drain continues

For many decades, California wasn’t just the No. 1 destination for families and businesses in the United States.

It was also the state of choice for smart people — America’s entrepreneurs and brainiacs.  

That’s because the future started in California.

But in the last decade, the Golden State has somehow lost a net 1.6 million residents to predominantly red states. 

Florida has been the biggest winner from this migration, with tens of billions of dollars in income flowing from the West Coast into Florida.  

No other state except New York has lost more residents.

California and New York also have the nation’s highest top tax rate of more than 13%, vs. zero in Florida.  

Every year for the past 15 years, I have helped prepared the ALEC Rich State Poor State Competitiveness Index. This measures which states have the best and worst economic climate for business and overall affordability. 

The good news is California isn’t last.  

It ranks 47th, only behind New York, New Jersey and Vermont and just ahead of Illinois. 

But one thing is for sure. If California were to adopt a 5% wealth tax, California would overnight become the least competitive state in the union.  

This is the blue state disease. 

It’s the economic........

© New York Post