I worked there until very recently (in an SE role for 4 years). I left Los Gatos and haven't looked back. While I'm in another major city where they have an off

I worked there until very recently (in an SE role for 4 years). I left Los Gatos and haven't looked back. While I'm in another major city where they have an office, before I left I hadn't been in months. Half my team ended up moving to Austin. During the pandemic they made the open statement that people could permanently move, people did (bought houses and the like). They've openly admitted internally that they're stuck with that decision. They even went as far as sharing remote adjusted salaries based on the "tier" of city you were remote in. Not to be prickly, but you're wrong in the broader sense. The hiring manager was saying that to YOU because they don't want to hire YOU as a remote worker.