While true, California also has the infamous Proposition 13, designed in the 70s by conservatives to starve the state of tax income. One of its provisions is that tax increases require a 2/3 supermajority on any tax increases enacted legislature. This effectively gave Republicans a veto on most sources of revenue.

This led to chronic budget deficits, which would often be papered over by issuing bonds, and a variety of "fees". Such as the hated auto registration fee, which was one of the grievances during the recall of Democratic governor Gray Davis.

Eventually we decided we had enough of Republicans, and Democrats gained a super majority in state congress. Now the state is running a surplus. I'm not claiming they have solved our problems, but at least we have money to build things again.