[aplummer]

“Progressive” isn’t why people flee. Nobody is fleeing Australia which has higher taxes than SF.

I think people would be more inclined to stay if the money went further, I’m yet to understand why the taxes are so high without free hospitals, university, super clean streets etc.

legitimate Q: where does it all disappear in San Francisco that doesn’t occur in progressive Europe / Aus / NZ?

[stonith]

I don't want to be rude but are you Australian or are you just guessing? All of the top graduates from my Software Engineering class in Aus either went to the US or did a PhD and then went to the US, and people are absolutely fleeing Sydney because the cost of living is too high.

[aplummer]

Yes I’m Australian -

I don’t think people are fleeing given the net emigration from the US, and the high cost of living in Sydney is actually my point exactly -

It’s not Sydney’s “progressiveness” that makes it expensive, you could live in Melbourne or Hobart where the tax is the same and it’s much less expensive, both more progressive. Three identical sets of benefits and taxes, wildly different cost of living.

My point was that it’s not progressiveness that makes places too expensive, it’s other factors.