Climate trumps traffic, crowds for California residents

A new USC Dornsife-L.A. Times poll finds that state residents remain smitten with California’s weather, its beaches and its cultural offerings. But especially the weather. Sixty-nine percent of people said the state’s mild climate was their favorite thing about California.

“Most Californians have decided they are willing to pay ‘a weather tax’ to live here,” says head pollster Dan Schnur. “ Taxes are one aspect of a set of policy changes that like traffic, housing and the overall cost of living that discourage us. But on balance, most Californians have decided it’s a tradeoff worth making.”

The poll did find that California voters are less optimistic about the quality of life for the state’s next generation. Forty-two percent say the next generation will have worse quality of life, compared to 28 percent who think California will be a better place to live.

So what do Californians detest? Twenty-four percent statewide – and 34 percent in L.A. County – say traffic is the state’s biggest drawback. That was followed by “too many people,” the state’s business climate, government and politicians, and the cost of owning a home.