California produces the worst “return on investment” for its citizens is demonstrably true.

As measured by WalletHub, California ranks 49th out of 50 states in taxpayer return on investment and the Tax Foundation rates the state 48th in tax competitiveness. It would be one thing if we were receiving value for our tax dollars but, put bluntly, we are not. The Golden State has the highest income tax rate in America as well as the highest state sales tax rate and gas tax. Even per capita property tax collections are much higher than the national average, Proposition 13 notwithstanding.

Yet with all this revenue, the state’s efforts to address homelessness, education, transportation, and crime have produced outcomes that fall short of what other states achieve.

Further, what Californians find incomprehensible is that even with record levels of revenue, our political leadership continues to claim we have a budget crisis. To ordinary taxpayers, this makes no sense.

By: Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, May 11, 2026.

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