A tale of two states: Contrasting economic policy in California and Texas
siepr.stanford.edu
siepr.stanford.edu
Really on air quality their comparison seems utterly meaningless as geography is not factored in when weighing CA vs TX. Now I question all their comparisons.
Here they are comparing governments so it’s pretty important when judging how relatively effective they are.
While not an expert on the geographic factors for TX, several major California cities have geographic factors that drastically worsen pollution.
Going from pea soup smog to moderate aqi in a region that really wants to be a smog bowl is quite a feat and a damn good job by the government.
In contrast, keeping good air quality in a region that is naturally prone to good air doesn’t say squat about how competent or effective the government is. (Note, I don’t know how the Texas geography effects air, but you see my point neither does the article).
So yeah it’s extremely important to know and weigh major dissimilar external factors when comparing the effectiveness of different government in addressing an issue.
Otherwise it’s like comparing California health outcomes in 2019 to Texas health in 2021. Two years can’t possibly make a big difference right?!
Or it’s like judging Maine’s government vs Arizonas based on heat related illness without considering climate differences. It would be comic.
Competent no, effective yes.
Of course the magnitude of the challenge is different, but one is still meeting its goals and the other isn't.
The government response be proportional to the need and problem. If there are geographic favoring one region, a minimal action is both appropriate and effective.
If there are geographic features unfavorable to a region, but the government response isn't enough, you can't claim it is also effective.
> Research by Rauh and Shyu (2021) strongly suggests that the increases in California’s marginal tax rates in 2013 increased the rate at which California residents moved out of state.
This cite didn't really support the point, but it seems to be a popular talking point amongst people who don't like taxes on high-income individuals:
> “Most people who move across state lines do so for housing, job, or family reasons,” Hans Johnson, a demographer for the Public Policy Institute of California, wrote earlier this year. Johnson also notes that those who leave California tend to be poorer and less educated than those who migrate to the state, which is not surprising given that housing and jobs dominate motivations.
> There is, however, a less obvious subset of those who leave California — high-income families seeking relief from the state’s notoriously high taxes.