California Governor Gavin Newsom stated at the South by Southwest conference in Austin that the state’s taxes are lower than those in Texas and Florida.
Newsom’s Tax Comparison
During the event, Newsom highlighted differences in tax structures, saying Texas “taxes poor folks more than we tax our richest.” He described Florida as another regressive tax state, adding, “Your middle class pays more taxes in Texas than our middle class in California.”
Newsom reinforced his position on X, posting, “Fox News refuses to report the truth: Texas and Florida are the REAL high-tax states.”
Contrasting Analyses
A WalletHub 2025 study on overall state tax burdens ranks California fourth highest among the 50 states, with Texas at 40th and Florida at 45th. Tom Bevan, president of RealClearPolitics, described Newsom’s assertion as “a blatant, verifiable falsehood,” citing the WalletHub data.
Newsom’s comments appear to draw from a 2024 analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, which examines tax inequality. The study notes that low-income taxpayers in some red states pay a larger share of their income in taxes—such as sales, property, and income taxes—compared to wealthier residents. However, this metric focuses on effective tax rates as a percentage of income, not absolute tax amounts.
California’s Population Trends
California has experienced a net loss of at least 200,000 residents since the 2020 Census, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Jared Walczak, a fellow at the Tax Foundation, observed that such tax claims “fly in the face of people’s revealed preferences,” amid ongoing discussions about migration patterns.
Newsom has been traveling to promote his memoir and policies, amid debates over state tax policies and their impact on residents.
