It's a bad idea to compare California to Canada or Australia, because even with our great economy we don't control our currency. Countries can deficit-spend but we have to actually pay for things.

This is the same flaw (see Strong Towns) that leads cities to tear down useful buildings and replace it with parking lots and highways, because the federal government gave them money to build them, but not to maintain them… so they go broke.

Huh, I just realized I'm wrong because California voters always approve state bond measures. We're safe after all.