Governor Jerry Brown struck a conservative tone in his State of the State Address today when he spoke of fiscal discipline, local control and regulatory reform.
But the challenge before California remains the same: growing private sector jobs. If we want to solve our long-term budget problems, we need more taxpayers, not less.
Despite some job gains, California’s unemployment rate remains among the highest in the nation—many California counties still have double-digit unemployment rates ranging as high as 25%.
Many entrepreneurs, small business owners and even athletes are considering leaving our state due to rising taxes.
And while certain government-favored industries are growing, most job creators are struggling to survive under a growing weight of new regulations, taxes and fees.
Clearly, it’s far too early to celebrate California’s recovery. Millions have yet to experience it.