Overview
- Speaking at SXSW in Austin, Gov. Gavin Newsom said California has the most progressive tax rates and argued Texas and Florida are the real high‑tax states for lower‑ and middle‑income residents.
- He appeared to rely on Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy research that rates Florida and Texas as highly regressive because lower earners pay a larger share of their income than high earners.
- Critics including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, RealClearPolitics’ Tom Bevan, and the Tax Foundation’s Jared Walczak rejected the claim and highlighted overall tax‑burden measures.
- WalletHub’s ranking placed California fourth‑highest for total tax burden, with Texas 40th and Florida 45th, and reporting cited California’s 13.3% top income tax rate and higher per‑capita collections than Texas.
- Coverage linked the dispute to migration trends, noting recent outflows from California and gains in Texas and Florida that critics say reflect taxpayer preferences.