California is overrun with entrenched government dependency, and you're absolutely correct, Rachael.

It should also be noted that I fully support California's right to make as many idiotic economic policies as they want:  one of the best things an economic conservative can do is fully support decentralized economic policies at the state level, versus a centralized, socialistic national organization (one of countless reasons why communist Russia collapsed).  It supports one of two economic pillars the author and posters like 'Hieronymous' clearly miss: 1) All government intervention/regulation has unintended consequences, and 2) Incentives matter.

Specifically- the lost consumer and producer surplus from deadweight loss will facilitate the driving out of businesses and individuals out of California and to places like Texas- an effect which has been happening gradually over the past 8 years. It will also plunge the state into further debt.