This isn't really universally true. In Switzerand we have cantons that manage their own school system, regional rail, social security and the list goes on and o

This isn't really universally true. In Switzerand we have cantons that manage their own school system, regional rail, social security and the list goes on and on. Some of those cantons have something like 200k people. California itself is larger and richer then most of the world. There is no excuse not to be able to do it.