Letters: There are good reasons for California's high cost of living

"As I told one new resident decades ago, It's the sunshine tax. Just look at the national weather map throughout the year, and you'll find a smorgasbord of undesirable combinations of national weather events year-round. California's weather is not perfect, and we do have the odd earthquake and with global warming increased fire danger, but that is being addressed. It's called government, and yes, good roads, good social programs and good public services do cost more."

"I find the statement from Dave McCulloch, chairman of the conservative Transparency Foundation, in Dan Walters' column about the cost of living in California, blaming (spoiler alert) politicians for California's affordability problems, to be both true and laughable. As I told one new resident decades ago, It's the sunshine tax. Just look at the national weather map throughout the year, and you'll find a smorgasbord of undesirable combinations of national weather events year-round."

California's high cost of living results from supply-and-demand pressures, desirable climate, and the expense of maintaining infrastructure, social programs, and public services. The pleasant climate—called the "sunshine tax"—attracts demand despite earthquakes and increased wildfire risk from global warming. Government-funded roads, services, and programs contribute to higher costs. Tax rules for inherited homes create disparities in property-tax burdens: inheritors can avoid capital gains taxation and often face limited property-tax increases, producing unequal tax outcomes between neighbors who inherit versus those who purchase. Changes to Proposition 13 exemptions have occurred, and heirs sometimes must sell inherited homes for financial reasons.

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