{"id":373792,"date":"2026-06-25T00:51:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T00:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/373792\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T00:51:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T00:51:16","slug":"meg-whitman-too-more-top-talent-departs-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/373792\/","title":{"rendered":"Meg Whitman, too? More top talent departs California"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is the latest billionaire to cut ties with California<\/a> as the state grows increasingly malgoverned, unaffordable and hostile to wealth.<\/p>\n

Whitman recently sold<\/a> a 1,500-acre ranch in Fall River Mills, in Northern California, for a cool $17.9 million. She had previously shed other Golden State real estate<\/a> holdings\u00a0(including a Sacramento penthouse last year) to live in Colorado.<\/p>\n

The former Hewlett-Packard and eBay CEO\u2019s latest liquidation comes as a \u201cbillionaire tax<\/a>\u201d \u2014\u00a0which would confiscate 5% of any California billionaire\u2019s assets \u2014 appears headed for the November ballot.<\/p>\n

\"Former<\/p>\n

Former gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is the latest billionaire to cut ties with California as the state grows increasingly malgoverned, unaffordable and hostile to wealth. AP<\/p>\n

\"Whitman<\/p>\n

Whitman recently sold a 1,500-acre ranch in Fall River Mills, in Northern California, for a cool $17.9 million. Getty Images<\/p>\n

It also follows years of dereliction from Sacramento.<\/p>\n

Gov. Newsom and legislators have ignored or exacerbated a long list of crises, from rampant homelessness, to sky-high housing, gasoline and energy costs, to a fraud epidemic the feds have stepped in to fight.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Dems in charge \u2014 and their union and nonprofit cronies \u2014 have gorged on taxpayer money: This year\u2019s state spending plan of $349 billion is more than double California\u2019s $171 billion budget of 10 years ago.<\/p>\n

Whitman is the latest billionaire to decamp\u00a0for a better-run state.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Her shift follows a long list of others; many fled at the very proposal of a 5% wealth tax advanced by the hungry SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, which seeks money for its members.<\/p>\n

But Whitman\u2019s decision to cut the cord to California carries particular resonance: She was the last GOP candidate to run a competitive race for the governor\u2019s mansion. She brought strong ideas and a pile of her own cash to a contest she lost to Jerry Brown, 53.8% to 40.9%.<\/p>\n

The ex-CEO campaigned on common-sense issues such as cutting fraud, restraining state spending and reforming public education \u2014 needs which, a quarter-century, later are more acute than ever.<\/p>\n

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That was the same year \u2014 2010, at the height of the populist conservative Tea Party craze \u2014 that Chuck DeVore, Tom Campell and Carly Fiorina batted in the GOP primary for US Senate before Fiorina went on to challenge, albeit unsuccessfully, then-incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer.<\/p>\n

DeVore and Fiorina, both strong candidates, have also quit California.<\/p>\n

The state has spent years chasing talent away.<\/p>\n

And not just billionaires. Despite the best weather on the planet (as former Gov. Brown used to remind those who warned of exodus), California has lost some 200,000 people over the past five years, per US Census data.<\/p>\n

\"Whitman\u2019s<\/p>\n

Whitman\u2019s exit is another warning. ZUMApress.com<\/p>\n

This means fewer jobs, less brainpower, diminished dynamism \u2014\u00a0and of course, fewer tax receipts for Sacramento, unions, nonprofits and other stakeholders that drive the state\u2019s cost of living ever-higher to serve their own parochial interests.<\/p>\n

Whitman\u2019s exit is another warning.<\/p>\n

Before long, there won\u2019t be much \u201cwealth\u201d left to tax. Who\u2019ll be holding the bag then?<\/p>\n

California voters should oppose this mess, and urgently. They can start by defeating the \u201cbillionaire tax,\u201d and, in November, choosing candidates who represent change and not the failing status quo.<\/p>\n

And we don\u2019t mean the lunatic socialists who would make things even worse.<\/p>\n