California\u2019s next governor \u2014 most likely former Attorney General Xavier Becerra \u2014 will inherit a raft of knotty, unresolved issues.<\/p>\n
Some, such as the high rate of homelessness and very high cost of living, predate current Gov. Gavin Newsom. Others, such as the chronic multibillion-dollar budget deficit and stubbornly high unemployment rate, arose more recently.<\/p>\n
A perennial question about such issues is whether they are unique to or more pronounced in California than other states. Comparisons are difficult because definitions vary and comparable data are difficult to track down.<\/p>\n
By coincidence, however, two recent academic studies shed light on how California stands vis-a-vis the nation\u2019s 49 other states.<\/p>\n
One is called \u201cState of the States,\u201d an offshoot of a \u201cState of the Nation\u201d research project sponsored by Tulane University\u2019s Murphy Institute that aims to cut through partisan chatter and define the nation\u2019s most cogent issues.<\/p>\n
The study found \u201cCalifornia ranks higher, on average, on the topics of Economy (1), Trust (3), Mental Health (3), and Children and Families (3), but lower on Work and Labor Force (48), Inequality (49), and Environment (50). California also outperforms its West neighbors in 3 of the 14 topics and is improving over time on 9 of the 31 measures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although California\u2019s political figures, most notably Newsom, like to depict the state as a leader on socioeconomic equity and environmental protection, it\u2019s at or near the bottom on both issues. It\u2019s also close to the bottom on educational achievement, volunteerism and freedom of the press.<\/p>\n
Texas, one of the states often compared to California, generally does better on the issues where California has fallen behind, such as freedom of the press. However, it too, has some glaring deficiencies, such as environment and voter participation.<\/p>\n
One of the widest disparities is residents\u2019 satisfaction with their current lives. Texas ranks near the top while California is well below median in that category.<\/p>\n
The second study comes from the Berkeley Economy & Society Initiative, a project at UC Berkeley backed by the Hewlett Foundation. It issued two in a series of reports on California\u2019s high cost of living.<\/p>\n
The first report declares \u201cCalifornia is less affordable and poorer than it should be given the strength of our economy,\u201d and \u201cis systematically more expensive\u201d than other places with similar median incomes.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnaffordability doesn\u2019t just create and worsen poverty,\u201d it noted. \u201cPeople are voting against California\u2019s high costs with their feet. Throughout its history, California has been a magnet for migrants from other states chasing opportunity. Not any longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the 2008 recession, California has experienced sustained domestic out-migration. The trend has accelerated in more recent years. Between 2020 and 2024, California had the second-lowest net migration to\/from other states, as a percentage of the population, following only New York. We present evidence indicating that unaffordability is a primary cause of California\u2019s migration inversion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project\u2019s second report delves into the causes of unaffordability, declaring, \u201cIn our analysis, the foremost driver of high costs in California is a policy regime that makes it difficult to build the physical infrastructure we need to deliver housing, energy, water, and other essentials.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowth restrictions drive unaffordability primarily by reducing housing supply and increasing housing costs. They also contribute to high energy and transportation costs by increasing the price tag on critical public infrastructure \u2014 creating downstream costs for consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report also lists a series of steps California could take to attack unaffordability, including embracing factory-built housing and innovative financing models to spur affordable housing the state needs.<\/p>\n
This is just a brief overview of what the two research projects have to say about California\u2019s issues compared to other states. If the next governor and legislators are serious about improving the state\u2019s standing, they should dive into the details.<\/p>\n
CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"California\u2019s next governor \u2014 most likely former Attorney General Xavier Becerra \u2014 will inherit a raft of 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