Traffic, schools, job loss cited as reasons for wanting to leave L.A., Times poll finds

About 40% of registered voters citywide told a Los Angeles Times poll that in the last two years they had “seriously thought about moving out of Los Angeles.” 

As The Times previously reported, the most commonly cited reason, by a large margin, was the cost of housing, cited by 46% of those who said they had thought about going. But the poll revealed some interesting differences among groups of voters: 

-- A third of the African American men who said they had considered leaving reported the loss of a job as their reason. The African Americans who said that loss of a job had caused them to think about leaving town were primarily men and those who do not have a college education. About twice as many men as women cited job loss as a motivator. 

-- Among voters 50 or older, traffic tied with the cost of housing as a reason for leaving; almost 4 in 10 cited those two reasons. That response probably reflects the fact that older Angelenos are more likely to remember a time when traffic was less of a burden. Older whites were particularly likely to mention traffic as a reason to leave L.A.

-- Voters in their 40s -- a group that tends to have children in high school -- were the most likely to cite public schools as a reason to leave. About one-quarter in that age group cited schools, which were cited by only about 1 in 6 voters overall. Public schools were more often cited by women than by men, particularly among black voters, a group in which almost no men cited that reason but one-fifth of women did.

-- Latinos were more likely than others to mention crime as a motivator for thoughts of leaving town. About 40% of Latinos who said they had thought of leaving cited crime, while 1 in 4 blacks did so and about 1 in 6 among whites or Asian Americans. Among blacks, fear of crime was another subject with a noticeable gender gap, with women considerably more likely to mention crime as a motivator. 

Among other racial and ethnic groups, that pronounced gender gap was absent. The poll, which was released last month, was conducted for The Times by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a Democratic polling firm, in conjunction with Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm.

The survey was conducted June 10 to 16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points for the full sample of 1,500 registered voters. The margin of error is larger for subgroups.

We’ve done several previous posts looking at aspects of the poll, including the racial divide on same-sex marriage; a look at who among Los Angeles voters calls themselves “conservative”; how the racial and ethnic divide among registered voters increasingly mirrors the city’s population; how cellphone users differ from land-line users; and President Obama’s popularity in the city.

-- David Lauter

Comments

[robert]

I'm getting out of this hole the first chance I get.

[Sal]

The digital billboards and supergraphics - they are the main reason I'm leaving, to be honest.

[Mike N]

If I were a comedian I could build an entire monologue on this article...

[Stuart Trotter]

Add to the fact the unfavorable business climate. You could make more money in almost any other state. Due to the high cost of doing business in California.

[Thomas]

"That response probably reflects the fact that older Angelenos are more likely to remember a time when traffic was less of a burden. "

I'm 33 and can CLEARLY remember that there was SIGNIFICANTLY less traffic 10, 15 and 20 years.

[dgoshilla]

I'll add poor city planning, home prices, dirty streets and the homeless problem to the list.

[DonJMac]

I LEFT BECAUSE I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH,, (ONLY ENGLISH)

HOW CAN A BLACK MAN GET A JOB IN LOS ANGELES IF HE

ONLY SPEAK ENGLISH AND DON'T WANT TO LEARN SPANISH, IT

TOOK ME 60 YEARS TO GET ENGLISH RITE, AND IT STILL

KEEP CHANGING,,,, YOU, YOU DUMMIES IN L.A.

[Gina]

Not just leaving Los Angeles, but leaving California altogether. Between the Mayor's blatant disregard and as I perceive it encouragement for illegal immigrantion, and the states woeful spending habits that keep us in such financial turmoil, add to it the dismal benefits for keeping my corporation in the state, there is no up side to staying. The only tie that binds at this point is family, who are also ready to throw in the towel.

[theprofessor]

No one mentioned taxes? Very suspicious!

[Ta Ta]

Everyone who is unhappy here... please leave soon.

[Michael]

I really wish I could get out too. Lived here all my life and I can tell you the 'California Dream' is dead. Taxed/fee to death to support people who all want free handouts...there is nothing left. No incentive to work. Why bother.

[JOe Clifford]

Why leave LA now?? It's true LA has made some bad decisions in the past, but I think things are moving in the right direction: downtown is becoming energized again, two new subway lines are coming online, one is in the works, high speed rail to SF and LV, the green energy business zone, housing prices are lower and lots more! Some things city leaders have to do is make our parks better, develop the LA river and do whatever it takes to make LA the hub for doing business with China and India.

[James]

I grew up in small town Florida and dreamed of living in Los Angeles since I was 16 (1981). Like many kids of my generation the image we got of California and the California dream came from Television programs in which what is often shown is nice and clean West L.A. After visiting twice the opportunity to move came in late 1999. I suffer from freeway phobia so in my sales job I travelled all around the L.A. area on the main Blvd and streets so I think I am qualified to make this assessment. I became disillusioned with L.A. after 4 months. The whole area reminded me of Sao Paulo Brazil. A great metropolis of rich white people and poor black and brown people. The one thing you first come into contact as a new Angelino is the speculator driven Real Estate market where rents are high in relation to people’s income. A person in Los Angeles is only earning scant more than the same person in Phoenix or St Louis for and has to work longer hours and deal with an awful and now costly commute. My friend’s teenage daughter worked in a Dept Store in Beverly Hills earning $7.00 per hour. The same wage as some young person living in Waterloo Iowa where living costs are much less. I worked in IT sales and the company was one of the most unpleasant to work for. The managers seemed to go out of their way to abuse and mistreat employees. How ordinary people survive I do not know. In middle class areas like the San Fernando Valley the quality of homes compared to what a comparable home would be like even in another California City like Bermuda Dunes is horrible. My Bank Vice President friend lived in a small house built in 1954 in Burbank, with one car carport. This would be a blue collar worker’s home in Florida. Many problems are not the fault of city managers. Over population is huge problem. First the baby boomers flooded Los Angeles in the late 1960’s & 70’s followed by a tidal wave of poor refugees from Mexico and Central America. I have to confess I did have some happy times. I was grateful to find a room for rent in a nice house in Palos Verdes and all its scenic beauty. I loved Santa Monica, and Los Feliz. I became friends with a man whose grandmother was a HUGE Hollywood star in the 1930’s and 40’s and she told me many fascinating stories of the glory days of MGM and the rest of the movie colony and even showed us old color home movies with a young Ronald Reagan and his then wife Jane Wyman and Reagan’s friend and political mentor actor Robert Taylor. I loved downtown on Saturdays going to all the stores but was saddened to see the grand old movie houses on Los Angeles Street in such bad condition. When I left in 2001 the Urban League voted Los Angeles Hunger Capital of America. I have been back in Florida where the living is slower and the pay is lower but I think we have a better quality of life here than there. I still miss the positive things of life there and have been trying to get away to come back for a visit …………if I could scrape together the money……

[Angelina]

Quitters! The whole lot of you! Boohoo I can't speak Spanish I can't deal with traffic...wahwah bunch of whiny losers! I don't see you guys complain when the Lakers won their championship...or when 'SC goes to their BCS Bowls...or when we have sunny weather when the rest of the country is covered in snow. I hope you all leave LA...we don't need you!

[Paul]

My family and I moved out of California about 13 years ago. I have never ever wanted to go back. Our kids were able to grow up in a great city in the midwest and they got a great education from the public schools. California is a mess. Way to go Arnold and company.

[TRS]

My husband and I left California almost seven years ago and never looked back. The state is a joke: all you are paying for is a "lifestyle".

[KK]

Out of California all together. Taxes are too damn high. Los Angles may be a large cities but honestly I only dare to go to 20% of the neighborhood. The rest of 80% is unsafe of foreign.

[Transplant]

It seems to me that there is a dividing line amongst natives and transplants. People who were born here remember a time before a budget deficit, high taxes and fees, and high unemployment, seem to want to leave for greener pastures.

Whereas transplant like myself, acknowledges that while all these things are bad, it could be a lot worse. Other friends of mine who have moved here tend to think the same thing.

Mind you I'm not saying either is right or wrong, it's just an observation I've made.

I do worry about the economic climate of the state driving away business. In fact the company I work for is aggressively shifting their headquarters to a more tax friendly state, leaving the California office as a small regional office. I suspect it's not the only company doing this.

[Tito]

I was born and raised in SoCAL... In 2006 me and my family decided to leave. We sold our house when the housing market was at its peak and moved to Austin,TX. All i can say is that I LOVE THE NEW CHANGE... I still have love for Cali but TX is my new home and dont know if ill ever go back to Cali..

Yes TX has its good and bad just like anywhere on this earth but its all about getting out of your comfort zone.. ALL of my relatives are still living in SoCAl and I go maybe twice a year to visit. .. Id probably rather visit than to live there again...

Ive met soo many people from Cali here in TX and they all say they like the new move.

Way less crime, cheap homes, and peace of mind = Priceless

[Frank]

I left California ten years ago to live in the midwest. While I am 2000+ miles away from my birthplace and family, I do not miss it one darn bit. When was the last time our state built a prison? About 7 years ago. The schools and people are awesome around here.

[UnhappyMexifornian]

Top 5 reasons to leave:
1-illegal aliens (many areas that were still OK 10 years ago now look like Tijuana), signs in spanish all over, impression of not being home, etc
2-traffic, smog, pollution
3-low performing schools, pathetic LAUSD (much related to 1)
4-housing too crazy, over 500K for a house that should be 200K
5-increase in crime, gangs (largely illegals or their anchor kids)
Note how dramatically illegals destroy CA
Let's summarize in ONE reason:
1-illegals

[Hike Every Day]

I hope people move out of Orange County, too. I grew up there but moved out to the desert by Palm Springs. At this point in my life I can handle the heat of summer better than the traffic. I'm waiting for everyone down there to move away because when that happens,I'm moving back.

[jack]

I love Los Angeles. Even with all it's problems, it is still a fantastic city. Where else can you go to get all the foods of the world -- Indian, Chinese, Ethiopian, Sushi, Mexican, Italian, Vietnamese, etc.? Where else can you go where you can be on the sands at the beach and about an 1.5 hour drive later be skiing on Mt Baldy? Where else can I rub elbow and work along side with many people with all parts of the world who come here to achieve their dreams? New York may be a top contender, but we have better weather. The grass always seem greener on the other side...

[Greeley]

This is good news! When I was born in Santa Monica, we had half the population we have now, and I wouldn't say that anything now is twice as good as it was then. So the more people that leave, the better for those who remain.

Adios! Happy Trails to You! Sayonara! Ciao Baby!

[Raffi]

The cost of housing is the #1 reason people are leaving LA, and the federal and state governments are doing everything in their power to artificially prop up housing prices, at a cost of billions to taxpayers.

Enough! No more moratoriums on foreclosures for these speculators! No more government subsidies for loan rewrites! Let home prices come down to sensible levels (like the prices of the late 90s), so that those people who did not behave irresponsibly can afford to buy if they want to.

[Frank Thompson]

As a long-time resident of Los Angeles, let me invite any and all disgruntled Californians to move to Ruidoso, New Mexico where its year-round resort beauty will captivate you and where the cost of living is just half of what you endure in California. I moved here from Orange County in 1997 and the only thing I miss about California is its gorgeous beaches.
I return to California once a year to put my feet in the Pacific and then hasten back to 7,500-foot Ruidoso to enjoy a place that is seasoned just right. You don't know what you're missing but, shhhh, don't tell too many folks.

[jack]

retired and moved to az...loved the l.a area while working,but no place to live when retired....first thing i noticed is in az. you can actually get in a car and drive around with no hassle..just go and not even make a plan...NO BIG TAX PROBLEM

[ghostfear]

I think one key points this article may not mention is that people who has more skill will be more likely to move, which will leave the state with less and less 'Rich' to tax. And yet the politicians will not get. They will just continue to punish (tax) the people who are capable of producing wealth.

[Practicing Physician]

I completed my residency training here in LA and my plans were to raise my family here. I thought as a practicing physician with a good yearly income that I could afford to buy a three bedroom home (2200 sq ft) in a good (not great) neighborhood. And that my wife could stay home with our children. Of course this plan was cooked up in 1995 and after years of schooling I came out to the reality of how things changed. The financial advisors I spoke to would just chuckle about what I was looking for and reminded me that if we were a two-professional income family then we could achieve those goals...except the staying home part with the kids. Thanks to the over-valued property increases and continued belief that homes prices should even remain at double their value from 1999 prices or more...it isn't possible to stay. The mortgage backed securites allowed a lot of people to profit from greed and establish false values of home prices to feed that greed. To me the idea of bailing out a mortgage on a home that was inflated by multiple fold values is ridiculous. The only reason people purchased the homes was the plan that the home prices would continue their sky-rocketing values. Now the bet didn't pay off I am expected to pay taxes to keep you in the home I wanted at its true value. Since I make a decent income I get to pay all my student loan debt (250,000) without any tax breaks, a higher tax rate, and continue renting until the prices either fall or I get tired of paying 35% tax on my rent. I am lucky to be employed and I do count my blessings. I only mention this because if you work hard in school, put yourself through the rigors of medical training and come out to find you better leave then it makes you think how can anyone afford the lifestyle of Los Angeles where your family and marriage can come first before your mortgage?

[Walker]

The cost of high taxes for consumers and business which seem to only fund wasteful spending should also be on the list

[jojo]

LATimes conveniently left off a top contender....
Way too many 3rd world illegal immigrant peasants swarming around.....It was great (for some) to have a huge cheap black market labor force until it wasn't (for everyone else).

Living in "Blade Runner" is not everyone's cup of tea (or Horchata for that matter)

[cometcollector]

Bye whiners. California is as good as it gets, albeit too crowded. Now that you are gone it will be less crowded. You will not be missed. Signed, a true California Native.

[PB&J]

Wow...So many people seem to want to leave. I guess the saying 'the grass is greener on the other side' is a common belief. I was born, raised and educated in Massachusetts for 21 long, agonizing years. I've been in Los Angeles for 3 years, and I would NEVER want to leave. Ever. Especially would never go back to Boston. This place is a haven, it really is.

For those who have moved away to TX, the Midwest, etc...It is worth noting that everything is relative. Yes, you can buy a 4bed house with a 2 car garage in TX (by husbands father owns 2 houses in Dallas suburbs, paying $250k for BOTH), or I could move back to Mass and get a 4bed McMansion for under 250, BUT, I'm not going to find an animation job there that pays $500 a day. Ya know? Where costs are lower, pay will also be lower.

Also, some people who work in certain industries are sort of restricted to where they can live. The art/entertainment business is in LA, Vancouver or New York. Those are my choices. LA is the only place that has nice weather out of the 3. If I moved to Boston or Dallas, there's not going to be any jobs for me.

[Chadd Ciccarelli]

I left LA/OC for SF last year and can honestly say, it's one of the best decisions I have ever made. My advice to people in LA is: STAY THERE, we don't need or want you up north.

[Drew]

I left California for the mid south and have enjoyed every minute. Cost of living cheaper minimum illigal aliens. (The Cholo type non existance.) Most here are from farther south of mexico and have attempted to mainstream into to culture .
Conservative lifestyle among blacks who are educated and professilonal.
Lived inSan Fernando valley in the seventys. That place is a shame now.
Inland Empire in the eighties. Over flowing with illigals everywhere. The attitude of the local citizens has been drug down slowly by the influx of our poor neighbors to the south. Tattoos and baggy pants isn't what I see all day anymore Love it!
Runaway social programs ruin calif and the gangcrime has only spread to other states but worse there than here by far.

[Private School Teacher]

While traffic, crime, and pathological political correctness are all valid reasons for moving out of L.A., the best reason is to get away from the incompetence of the LAUSD.

[MaryJ]

Typical of the LAT to not mention the number one reason why people are leaving: MASSIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. The Third World atmosphere created by the illegals is driving native-born, educated, taxpaying Americans out of the state at the rate of 300K a year. Who can blame them? From paradise to Third World dump in only 30 years -- what does that say for the California "government"? And yes, we native-born Californians "of a certain age" are the bitterest of all. We remember the paradise that California once was. We remember life without drug gangs, grafitti, Spanish, e-coli scares, bankruptcy, crumbling over-crowded freeways, trash everywhere and Third World-quality schools. We remember when we could leave our doors unlocked and drive to the beach or the mountains on uncrowded, sparkling clean freeways. We remember when a working-class salary could buy a little house in a nice neighborhood for a family of four on one income. Today only the rich can afford to live in a decent, still-American neighborhood; in the past all accept the very poorest could afford a slice of the "California dream." Thanks illegals, and thanks traitorous "government" in Sacramento.

[Carla]

I second TaTa's comment above: get the hell out so I can buy a house.

[Joe]

The trouble with Kalifornia is ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION not only from Mexico but all of South America and many other parts of the world. For a country that the whole world hates, and the idiot in the white house thinking he has to appoligize for, everyone sure wants to come here! WOW, a real bad place right! The politicans in Kalifornia work very hard to pass pathetic laws like limiting ammo purchases for law abiding citizens, trampling on our rights, all the while being soft on criminals and not enforcing current laws! Criminals will never respect any law. Good citizens will always be penalized for the actions of criminals and know nothing politicans like DeLeon, Feinstein, and Boxer! They are PRO-PENALIZE good citizens and give everything to CRIMINALS and ILLEGALS. Wake up Kalifornians, vote these pieces of garbage out of office ASAP or the fault will be your own!

[Californiadreaming]

While it is true that the grass is always greener on the other side, whoever thinks California is a "hole in the ground" or bad place to live, think again. If you don't like LA, there are tons of other cities to live in Cali. I was born in SoCal and lived there for a few years, then my family moved from the west coast to the midwest and finally landed in the south. I also lived in SoCal for post-grad education. I lived in the Metro-DC area for a short period of time as well, but currently reside in Florida. Out of all of the places I have lived in my life, as far as I am concerned, California is the best place to live in the country---despite the difficult economic times it currently faces (and the awful traffic). Cali will bounce back--it always does. California is and always has been a leader in entertainment, technology, environment, and business. The only other place that may rival Cali is NYC (discounting the cold winters and aborbant cost of living of course). That's it. California has the biggest or second biggest economy in the country and drives much of the nation's economy. California has all of the entertainment and cultural opportunities you could want. As a young professional (30s) living in Florida, I can tell you that there is no other place in the U.S. like California and I would move there in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. I am California dreaming. I have been trying to permanently get out of Floriida for the past 5 years and if Isomeday I can - I will never return to Florida again. It is my opinion that Florida is backward in thought, offers limited job opportunities, has: extremely limited income potential, rising housing costs (depending on the areas you live), unbalanced income-cost and quality of living ratio, myriads of prejudiced individuals, limited entertainment value, innumerable elderly, some of the ugliest people I have ever seen, and disgusting weather (most of the year it is hot, extremely humid, and sticky--with bugs/reptiles to boot & 6 months of hurricanes). Florida is a place to end it all, nothing more. APPRECIATE CALIFORNIA!

[Plea4help.com]

Texas seems to be the state to go!

[B Clemenb]

Happy to see some people leave. More space for those of us who stay.

[CLG]

We moved out of LA 4 years ago to New Zealand. Best decision we ever made. The pollution, traffic and general levels of stress make it a bad place to live. Every time I talk to someone there or visit I am amazed at how stressed out everyone is and how wound up over accumulating possessions people are. We lived well in LA, had a house expensive cars and all that but all we did was work and buy stuff, we did not live. I have far more vacation time now but don't really feel as much of a need to get away as my day to day life is so much better.

LA could be a good place if people just spent more time and effort on the life of work/life balance. But that is an issue that goes beyond LA really. If you are not happy with your life accumulating more things will not change that!

[Mark]

LA is just one big car park. Only after you've battled through the traffic do you see that it's a beautiful part of the world and great place to live.

We need smarter, more socially responsible people in public office to begin the repair the damage of 20+ years of inadequate city and transport planning.

People would feel much happier about their city if they actually had public spaces and public transport they could rely on.

[Dr. Christopher Eaton]

This article happens during every recession and after every earthquake. There are always naysayers who move to dreadful Texas and talk about how happy they are living in a state that funds its education at an even lower per pupil revenue level than California, or Utah, where moderate conservatives are viewed as wacky leftists. These people never talk about how happy they are living in another big city. I don't believe they like cities and they didn't like it when Los Angeles outgrew them and brought the world to their doorstep. They simply don't know how to cope with its new energy and generally leave to go to less complicated, easier places to live. Why would anyone consider leaving this town at such a dynamic time in its history as it literally launches into the future every day? People who can't cope or don't want to or who are incapable of seeing or wanting to see its incredibly exciting future leave, that's who, or people who are enamored of the Los Angeles of 30-40 years ago who can't even bring themselves to live in its present, let alone its future. I think that when people like that leave, they take deadweight with them that frankly this city and state don't need as they are faced with unprecedented challenges and opportunity. Adios future Texans.

[windu]

Left last year for Georgia. Why?
1. 9.3% state income tax.
2. high housing costs.
3. unfair property taxes (for new buyers)/Prop 13.
3. horrible public schools/$30k per year private schools.
4. high crime.
5. traffic.
I do miss the good things about LA terribly. Really I do. But life overall is a lot easier and less stressful.

[Native Califorian]

For all you who want to leave.
What are you waiting for?

[Donna Short-Webster]

Well, we made the move out of California two years ago and we couldn't be happier. Both my husband and I were born and raised in Southern California and I don't think we ever considered leaving what we felt was a great place to call home. I would just encourage you that if you feel you can and you're just a little fearful?? take the plunge . .we did and we haven't looked back. We now call North Carolina home sweet home.

[Robin Thomas]

The government is criminal and stupid for propping up housing prices. I'm a poor teacher, have saved for years, and still cannot afford a home in a decent area. I hate Los Angeles and I hate our stupid government. They give taxpayer money to the Wall St. thieves and bankers while they let the rest of us rot. Responsible taxpayers have been raped. This is not the country that it used to be. And California? Long lost, nothing like it used to be...

[jimcactus]

I moved to Sacramento from El Paso, Texas in 1982 and have never regretted it. If you think L.A. is like Mexico, try other parts of the Southwest. Illegals are not taking jobs from anyone else. if you can work harder than they and with less legal rights than you have now to complain then go for it. Of course, you can always live more cheaply in less desirable states. But you are trading the price of square footage for less dynamic, less stimulating, less promising surroundings and economies. The Golden State will bounce back and when it does, it will bounce higher than florida or Texas or Michigan.

[Paul]

I was born and raised in So. Cal in the 60's through the 80's. I remember when OC was an orange grove, it took 20 minutes to travel from OC to downtown LA, and going to the beachs or mountains did not require fiting a mob, and walking in places like Maywood at night was safe, even for a white adolesant. I remember when the strip between Laguna Beach and San Diego had only few sleepy towns tlike Oceanside or San Clemente and was not a stip mall from Santa Monica to Tijuana. I remember when Hollywoood Blvd. and the Sunset Strip were cool. I remember when most everyone was a native Californian.
Ca's cost of housing, taxes on individuals and businesses, over crowding, traffic, Ca's unbrideled acceptance of illegal immigrants, and the legislatures belief and practice of increased taxes and fees were the solution to pay for all this was enough for me.
I made my final move out of Cali for good 4 years ago and found a place like So. Cal was in the 60s and 70's, better year round weather, reasoanble housing and cost of living, and I now knopw most all of my neighbors even those who live a block away. In So. Cal you are lucky to know two or three people on your street. I have no desire to retun to So. Cal even for a visit.

[bulldogcafe]

California is in big trouble right now with infrastructure, budgets, population, and growth. I was born in Hollywood and have witnessed many changes over the past 40 years! I like the progress we are making in Los Angeles, but the traffic is a nightmare. Most of the people I speak to here were not born in California. I love this state and hope all those that do not like it here should leave immediately and take your car with you!

[noodles@SanDiego]

---- THE BAD ----
Resident in LA are marginlize:

If you are a landlord are you going to charge more to undoc immigrant, you bet.

If you are a banker are you going to stick these non-english with financial clause and fees, dude, its what MBA all about.

If you are a dentist and this guys can't even spell mal-practice, his whole family is going to get their tooths leaded whether they need are not, state is paying for it.

----- THE GOOD ----
Super competition.

Selection for Survival of the Fittest. If you are incompetent you move.

[Jon]

Interesting that some of the folks that left and claim to have never looked back are commenting on an LA Times blog. Bitter much?

That's in contrast to the more even-handed comments re missing certain things about LA but finding a better situation elsewhere.

LA's not for everybody. But the angry people out there seem to think it's not for anyone. Been here for 25 years and, being relatively young, still enjoy it. Though I'm sure I'll move to less expensive pastures once it's time to retire.

[Rob]

As soon as the residents of this state voted to quell another's rights, i packed my stuff.

My wife and I decided we cannot live in a state that justifies targeting a minority via a majority vote - which is happening again with illegal immigrants and healthcare according to yesterday's Times.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-illegal10-2009jul10,0,3398621.story

How long until this lands as a proposition to vote on?

Which minority will be targeted next?

Why should my high taxes pay for a state that allows prejudice via ballot?

[candy]

I've lived here for 15 years and can't wait to leave LA/California. It's overrated. It's dirty, overcrowded, overpriced. It seems to have the highest concentration of mentally ill or otherwise disturbed people on the planet. Most people have an unbelievable attitude. Everyone wants to be on a reality show or dedicates their life to watching bad TV. I bet the collective IQ here is in the double digits. I'm happy I'll be gone soon.

[Brother Darrow]

Los Angeles is just a place like any other place on the planet earth.

People will be leaving and coming and coming and leaving, people will be born and people will die, people will be talking about leaving and people will be talking about coming.

So whats the big deal?

Generally people well do what they can do to satisfy their needs and wants no matter what they do.

[Jamaal]

I live in Los Angeles County all my life and traffic has gotten worse. I am certainly leaving California the first opportunity I get. California is falling apart it will get worse and worse. A lot of the blame goes to illegal immigrants and their numerous "anchor babies". California taxpayers are paying billions of dollars for illegals' (and their anchor babies') education, healthcare, prison etc. They are a net drain on the system. If you think things are going to improve in California you are insane. As long as illegals keep pouring in it will surely keep gradually change into a third world squalor like the illegal's home countries.

Has anyone been to Downtown Los Angeles lately? It's a dirty, dilapidated piece of trash. Hey, pretty much like the countries the illegals come from. Connection?

Don't get me wrong there are many beautiful places in California such as Monterey, Santa Barbra etc. but a lowly school teacher can't afford to live there *tear drop*.

[What a Shame]

Too much complaining and not enough action. They've contemplated moving, but are still here. HOWEVER, I see a lot of cars with out of state license plates so that means regardless how horrible it is here people are still moving here. I was born here and things have definitely changed of the last thirty years-- some for the better and some for the worse, but you make with what you have. LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.

[lwps]

Crowded, yes, but California has plenty of land -- only exceeded by Texas and Alaska.

[formerangeleno]

My father's family settled in Santa Monica in 1910. When I left the area in 1996, I was the last member of a very large family still living there. All had moved away from: absurd real estate prices; incredibly poor city services; overcrowding;and many other problems.

I've lived now in Washington DC for these many years, and could not be happier. I come through LAX about once annually, to visit a relative in Ventura. As soon as I turn the rental car onto the 405, I'm instantly reminded of why I left and why I will never live there again.

[Tim Hirchag]

Get Out, Get Out
and don't come back.

I love living the good life in San Clemente and don't want to live with people who are ungrateful of what we have.

[MS]

The only things at this point that can save L.A. is a better and more thorough public transport system and more job creation taking place. Otherwise, I see Detroit as our future, which is a damn shame - and it's more likely than many people think. Even the illegal immigrants are packing up and going elsewhere. L.A. is no longer an attractive place for people to move to.

Paul: I'm a native and can't remember when almost everyone was a native Californian, even back when I was a kid, before the immigration from Latin America and Asia skyrocketed, the overwhelming majority of people were from elsewhere in the US with some from Mexico, Japan, and the UK. Native Californians have always been a minority in L.A. (albeit a bigger minority back then) The difference is that not only were the jobs there, but L.A. was very good at creating high paying blue collar jobs in the old days, which it is now totally unable to do. Also the schools were much better.

[MS]

Also, the high housing costs - which are the No. 1 reason why people L.A. - aren't backed up by higher wages as in the Bay Area. If one is not in the entertainment industry, which is dying as we speak, living in L.A. doesn't have obvious benefits for the most part as the world's other expensive cities do outside of a few mostly very expensive areas. While not every neighborhood has gotten worse - a surprising number have improved over the years - there is an accurate perception that L.A. provides poor value for what one pays to live in it. I really hope that L.A. can get itself together but given its history of crap government and the overall problems of the state I'm not optimistic.

[MS]

What L.A. needs to save itself from turning into Detroit is to create more jobs and particularly more higher paying jobs, expand the Metro system, and make itself more friendly to small business. Otherwise it will continue to lose people as it is doing right now. Even the illegal immigrants are leaving for places where jobs are more plentiful. L.A. used to be really great at creating high paying blue collar jobs, that is not the case anymore.

[candy]

Guys! Stop tellung those of us packing our bags to leave! That's like trying to dump someone AFTER they've dumped YOU!

[Mike]

"Guys! Stop tellung those of us packing our bags to leave! That's like trying to dump someone AFTER they've dumped YOU! "

And yet you're still here.

[Ellen]

I've seen LA go from Paradise to hell in 30 years. The elephant in the living room, of course, is illegal immigration. My neighborhood has turned into a barrio, with bars on doors and windows, abandoned shopping carts, old sofas and junky cars strewn everywhere, graffiti, rude, surly people, chickens in yards, Mexican music blasting all night, tons of traffic, ridiculously long waits in emergency rooms full of illegals, overcrowded, dangerous and ineffective schools, auto accidents caused by unlicensed, uninsured and often drunk illegals, and on and on.

Yet apartments in my building rent for over $1,200 a month, just for a basic one-bedroom with no dishwasher, central heating or air, and no amenities-- in a dirty, noisy, unsafe barrio! To live in any DECENT area is even more expensive. The illegals afford it by illegally crowding several people into a one-bedroom apartment, but most Americans don't want to live that way. So what are we to do? Plus WE have to pay for things like medical and auto insurance, which many illegals refuse to pay.

I'm completely fed up and looking to get out of this hellhole. The toughest part is figuring out where to go, since many other states are also being invaded now.

Thanks a whole lot to the politicans who refuse to close the borders, deport illegals, or reduce legal immigration. In their gated communities and ivory towers, they couldn't care less about the rest of us. May they burn in hell for what they have done to this country and their fellow Americans.