Reduce Taxes, reduce the "Nanny-State" on Business to get Cali's Economy back up to speed

A group of California lawmakers visited Austin, Texas last week to learn more about the State's booming economy. As the Austin Statesman points out "in the past three years, California has lost 1.2 million jobs; Texas has gained 164,000 jobs in the same period."

More from the Statesman.com:

"We got a great message: Regulatory oversight (in California) is too much, the taxes are too high, we need to streamline government and not become a 'nanny' state like we've become," said state Assemblyman Dan Logue, a Republican from the Sacramento area who led the delegation.

"We talked to businesses who tried to make it in California and relocated (to Texas) because it's nearly impossible to do it there. We have to identify the reasons why."

The group met with Governor Rick Perry and a number of business advocates. Reducing regulations and tort reform were the two most frequently mentioned suggestions.

Another Republican chimed in:

"There's opportunity here; you can smell it," Assemblyman Mike Merrell, a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga, told Texas business owners at Friday's hearing. "We need to follow your plan."

Even though it was an overwhelmingly Republican delegation, Democrat Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, the former San Francisco Mayor, also took part.