t receives as much tourism as California does (NYC, as well) cannot find a way to balance its books. Think about how much money accumulated in other states actually is spent in California. Beyond the cost of real estate, though, it's the little things that really start to add up...gasoline prices, food prices, energy, etc. A draft beer at neighborhood bar will run you 5-$8. They make it hard to be an alcoholic. Everything is more expensive in California because of its rules and regulations. Take a city like San Francisco. Kids are rarely seen, because no one can afford the housing required to raise a family. Yards...forget it. The public school system is awful. It's dirty, the roads are shitty and the infrastructure is atrocious.