Newsom's Tax Claims About Texas and Florida Debunked by Expert

Analysis finds California has higher tax burden than 'low-tax' states

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly claimed that Texas and Florida are 'the real high-tax states,' but an expert analysis by James Agresti of Just Facts found Newsom's claims to be 'fatally flawed.' Agresti's data shows California imposes significantly higher taxes as a percentage of its economy compared to Texas and Florida, which have no state income tax.

Why it matters

Newsom's assertions about California's tax burden compared to other states are politically charged, as he positions the state as more tax-friendly. However, the expert analysis indicates California's overall tax burden is higher, raising questions about the governor's characterization of the state's tax climate.

The details

Agresti found that California collects about $10,000 per person in taxes annually, compared to only $5,000 in Texas and Florida. As a percentage of the state's economy, California taxes about 14% while Texas and Florida tax around 9%. California also has higher sales tax, gas tax, and unemployment insurance tax rates than the other two states. Agresti argues Newsom is likely relying on flawed data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy that does not account for all forms of income and taxes.

  • Newsom made the claims about Texas and Florida's tax burden in recent weeks, including during a speech at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

The players

Gavin Newsom

The governor of California who has repeatedly claimed Texas and Florida are 'the real high-tax states' compared to California.

James Agresti

The president of Just Facts, an organization that analyzed the data and found Newsom's claims to be 'fatally flawed.'

Ron DeSantis

The governor of Florida who pushed back against Newsom's claims on social media.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I looked at how much is each state taxing each of its citizens on average? So if you look at California, they collect about $10,000 a year in taxes for every person in the state, whereas the figures for Texas and Florida are only about $5,000, or about half as much.”

— James Agresti, President, Just Facts

“It's information from this group and others like it, by the way, that have misled people to believe that middle-income folks in the United States pay a higher federal tax rate than upper-income folks.”

— James Agresti, President, Just Facts

What’s next

Agresti said he expects Newsom to continue making claims about California's tax burden, despite the data showing the state has a higher overall tax burden than Texas and Florida.

The takeaway

This analysis highlights the importance of scrutinizing political claims about taxes and the economy, as Newsom's assertions appear to be based on selective data that does not reflect the full picture of California's tax climate compared to other states.