A new survey reveals that nearly two-thirds of California residents have recently considered moving out of the US state.
The survey highlights growing frustrations Californians are feeling with state policies related to the rising cost of living, crime and political polarization and concerns about parental rights.
The survey found that 40% of state residents say they “are taking the possibility of moving somewhat or very seriously”, with another 24% “saying they are thinking about it, but not very seriously”.
The top reason respondents gave for wanting to leave the Golden State was the cost of living, with 61% saying it was too high. According to online property search service RentCafe, the overall cost of living in California is 39% higher than the national average, with housing costs averaging 102% higher and utilities 22% more expensive.
Crime in the state has also risen in recent years, exacerbated, critics say, by lax law enforcement policies.
In April, supermarket chain Whole Foods announced the closure of its largest store in downtown San Francisco to “ensure the safety” of employees, following numerous reports of frequent thefts and syringes and crack pipes found in the unit’s bathrooms.
The city had a 23% increase in crimes against property between 2020 and 2022, mainly robbery and theft. California law states that the theft of items worth up to $950 is considered a misdemeanor only, “meaning that police are unlikely to bother to investigate and, if they do, prosecutors will let the case go,” he said. Lee Ohanian, a professor and researcher at the Hoover Institution think tank.
Of particular concern to parents in California, a number of bills (either passed or still pending) in the state legislature seek to reverse parental rights to direct their children’s education.
Currently, Republican Party politicians are challenging a state law that states that a change in gender identity announced by a child or teenager at school must not be reported to their parents.
Another law made California the first US state to allow minors to become state wards if they flee to Californian territory to undergo irreversible gender transition procedures against their parents’ wishes.
Another bill, still under debate in the Legislature, would authorize the removal of children and adolescents from their parents’ homes for “child abuse” if they refuse to recognize the gender identity chosen by their children.
The bill prompted Republican state senator Scott Wilk to declare at a hearing, “If you love your kids, you need to flee California.”
Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council, agreed, noting that the vast majority of controversial bills being debated in the California Legislature concern the sexuality and gender identity of children and adolescents.
“I reckon [estamos monitorando] almost 40 bills in the state of California that address different types of issues,” Keller explained during a recent episode of The Washington Stand’s Outstanding podcast.
“Most of them are specifically related to sexual orientation and gender identity. […] What is being considered is putting these decisions in the hands of young people who are still developing emotionally. They are emotionally vulnerable. They believe that adults are concerned about their interests. And when they say, ‘Your parents really aren’t looking out for your best interests. In fact, they don’t want you to live your true, authentic self. […] We know better what’s best for you than your parents do.’ Well, this is extremely, extremely dangerous,” she added.
Hundreds of thousands of Californians have already left the state. The California Department of Finance recently revealed that the state has suffered a net loss of 800,000 residents over the last three years. As pointed out by the Epoch Times, “this recent population decline is unprecedented, as the Golden State has seen the number of residents grow consistently for over a century,” until 2020.
“We’ve seen a big shift in the political climate in the state of California,” said Keller, who noted that California hasn’t had a conservative Republican governor in nearly 30 years.
“We can see, despite the fact that we still have an overwhelming number of Conservative voters, that their voices are being silenced and their values are being attacked at a truly alarming rate. […] It’s easy to take a stand on what’s right, but it’s a lot harder to fight some of the insanity that’s coming out of the legislature in Sacramento. [capital californiana]”, he stated.
© 2023 The Daily Signal. Published with permission. Original in English.
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