Plus, because of California's high cost of living, a worker in California is paid more to do the same work as in another state, yet falls in a higher federal tax bracket and so pays thousands more per year in Federal taxes for doing the same work and experiencing the same standard of living as a citizen of another state.
California could add a few percent to state income taxes and inconvenience its residents minimally in comparison with the high rates of Federal taxation Californians experience (due to higher cost of living).
It's just so far out of proportion that I consider it absurd to spend much time worrying about California's budget.
So does every other resident of every other state, you act like this is some problem unique to CA. Not to mention that if the sate did raise it's income tax that would help it's residents pay a lower amount of federal tax because don't you normally subtract your state tax liability from your earnings to determine your federal taxable income? Sounds like you need to write your legislature and beg for an income tax increase.
You forget - that worker gets to live in CA. That worker thinks that the cost-of-living premium is worth it because if she didn't, she'd be living somewhere else.
If the benefits that you get from living in CA are less than the costs that you pay, you should leave. Seriously.
What? You like it here and are just trying to reduce the costs? That's not nearly as noble a crusade....