9 thoughts on “It’s Official”

  1. Rand,

    Its good to see New Mexico is taking advantage of this opportunity.

    http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs046/1102502633005/archive/1102807510004.html

    Hopefully Governor Richardson will be successful and some of the these firms will make the move to Spaceport America.

    As I pointed out in the feasibility study for the Southwest Regional Spaceport in the early 1990’s, New Mexico is the ideal location for sub-orbital R&D. This is especially true for the all important Aeronomy, Education, Research and Science (AERS) markets which have the potential to be far larger then the sub-orbital tourist markets.

  2. Among many other things, that’s why I left California. Business was regarded as the enemy. The area I left, once one of the wealthiest in Southern California, is now practically a wasteland. I currently live in Maryland, which has its own issues — but the people are friendly, they have four seasons, the taxes are relatively low, and there’s little sign of recession.

    The people in California were another reason I never liked the place (for 28 years). They were rude, standoffish, and generally of an ilk with which I did not care to associate. I suppose that goes hand in hand with what they did to the state, though.

  3. MfK,

    I am also a business refuge from California. I now live in Nevada where the legislature is part time (mostly ranchers and small business people) and the mere suggest of a state income tax guarantees the end of your political career.

    However the area I lived in San Diego was mostly ex-military (Navy and Marines) and the folks there were pretty friendly. But the cost of doing business there, or even living there with the current tax structure, drove me out. Others I know who are also carrying the burden of the state’s tax are leaving as well which is why the state’s problems are just beginning.

  4. I have yet to run into someone who doesn’t understand when I say I’m glad that I’m out of California.

  5. When’s California gonna fall off into the ocean already? I mean, why did Superman even bother to reverse time to save that god forsaken place? Shoulda just let Lex Luthor blow it all up!

  6. There is a silver lining to all this.

    Yes, California is badly off. But think how much worse off some countries – which once had similar natural blessings – must be, since they don’t even have the limited check that has been provided by democracy and a reasonably free press.

    The regimes running those countries – most of whom wish western civilization ill – are running out of resources, and out of time, even more quickly than California.

  7. When I was first stationed in Colorado some 24 years ago, I sometimes saw bumper stickers that read, “Don’t Californicate Colorado.” Unfortunately, they did. Many of the same people who fled California complaining about high taxes and big government came here and started pushing for new government benefits like the ones they enjoyed back in CA. The result is bigger state government and higher taxes. Fortunately, before they were able to enact the worst of their dreams, voters passed the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR, also known as Amendment One) limiting growth in state and local tax revenues to the combined rates of inflation and population growth. If they want to raise taxes, they needed voter approval.

    The big government types were all upset. TABOR/Amendment One meant they couldn’t just keep enacting their political wet dreams and raising taxes at will. If they wanted a new program, they had to cut something else in the budget to pay for it. I remember seeing a woman with a bumper sticker on her car that read, “Life was more fun before Amendment One.” I guess her idea of “fun” was hitting up the taxpayers to pay for her wishes. Boo freaking hoo.

    Unfortunately, the courts have weakened a lot of the taxpayer protections granted by TABOR. For example, the state supreme court has ruled that “fees” aren’t the same thing as taxes, so governments are free to enact new fees or raise existing ones whenever they want. What do you do when the highest court in the state doesn’t even obey the law?

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