Mentioning "myriad of other small taxes" in California just shows your unbalanced bias: NZ has a myriad of other costs that California doesn't. Sales tax 15%,

Mentioning "myriad of other small taxes" in California just shows your unbalanced bias: NZ has a myriad of other costs that California doesn't. Sales tax 15%, 91 petrol USD5.34/gallon, means testing for many things, no tax friendly retirement savings (IRAs/ROTHs whatever). Auckland housing is less affordable than San Francisco https://www.visualcapitalist.com/least-affordable-cities-to-buy-a-home/ https://www.visualcapitalist.com/least-affordable-cities-to-... I pay for private healthcare insurance because I want better outcomes than waiting for years to get urgent surgery. I have seen loved ones literally killed by our healthcare system (unnecessary death - not just normal risks of medicine). Our public health system is good when it works but it has some sharp edges. Although I assume poor NZers are better off than poor Californians for heathcare access. > It sounds more like an excuse to keep doing what you already wanted to do rather than an actual demotivating factor. I am telling you that it demotivates me. We don't always know why we think things and I don't have to be perfectly rational. You might be right, but calling it an excuse is extremely rude.