A study two years ago found that California substantially lagged behind Texas economically, based on the two states' taxes, regulatory policies and government spending. That study, performed by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, recently was updated. Not only does California continue to lag but, by comparison, it "has become even less competitive than before," the newer study concludes.

"If Californians still have trouble understanding why so many of our former neighbors have 'gone to Texas,' this scorecard spells it out in painful detail," said Sally C. Pipes, president of the Pacific Research Institute, a free-market, nonprofit think tank based in San Francisco.

We agree with Ms. Pipes, who concludes that, "we must dramatically overhaul our tax and regulatory policies if the Golden State is ever to regain its former luster." As the election nears, we urge Californians to weigh candidates' positions on tax and regulatory issues, as well as consider the effect of ballot measures in those areas. The Register's ballot recommendations can be found at http://tinyurl.com/22kj572.

Read more:http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/texas-272784-california-tax.html