Is California a "moderately taxed state?" Bill Lockyer, the California State Treasurer, appears to think so. The Orange County Register's "Orange Punch" blog reports that Lockyer recently said in a speech that "California is a moderately taxed state."
The State Treasurer should look at the latest data from the Tax Foundation's 2010 Facts and Figures, which suggest California is more than a "moderately taxed state." California currently has the sixth highest state and local tax burden in the nation. It has the third worst business tax climate among the states. California ranks fourth in per capita income tax collections. The state's corporate tax rate is one of the highest in the country. Moreover, California's general sales tax is the highest in the United States.
If this is what makes California a "moderately taxed state," then I don't want to even imagine what a "highly taxed state" might look like.