California’s Proposed Billionaire Tax | Armstrong Economics

California imposed an exit tax for those wishing to flee the state, but with insufficient funding and desperation to maintain tax revenue, the state is considering legislation that would steal a portion of one’s net worth and redistribute it to social programs.

The Billionaire Tax Act would impose a 5% tax on the total wealth of state residents with a net worth over $1 billion. There are around 250 billionaires currently living in California. The law will apply to anyone who resided in California as of January 1, 2026, which means it is too late to get out.

Net worth includes unrealized gains—stocks, businesses, real estate, collectibles, etc. California is treating paper valuations as if they were cash sitting in a vault, but net worth is merely an estimate when the valuation has not been realized or set. These items are subject to drastic fluctuations and now residents will be penalized for holding onto appreciating assets. Taxing a temporary illusion of worth assumes permanence when that is simply not the case.

Economies grow through investment, risk, and innovation. When you impose a levy on wealth, you force entrepreneurs to sell assets, slow investment, or exit entirely. The tech boom created 50 new billionaires in the state in 2025 alone. Why would aspiring entrepreneurs remain in a state that continually penalizes success? This class has the ability to mobilize at whim, but others do not, and it a guarantee that the state will soon come for those with less.

The wealthy generate wealth when they deploy capital into productive ventures. These are the people creating jobs and propping up local economies. You can never leave California without paying the exit tax, and now, you cannot amass wealth in the state without being subject to a large penalty. California has become extremely hostile to capital, hence the mass exodus of private wealth and businesses in recent years.

Legislators claim they can take in $100 billion in revenue from the tax that will allegedly go toward California’s imploding healthcare budget. California is a welfare state that operates outside of the federal capitalistic system. There are simply too many social programs to maintain and too many ignorant politicians who believe others should redistribute their wealth to float failing policies.