You also said, “Believe you aren’t getting the cream of the crop.” Pretty much sounds like you mean everyone moving out of California isn’t worth much.
I have lived here since 1995 off-and-on; absolutely true of a substantial number of native Texans. I think part of it is because Texans always TALK about it being in their constitution that the state can secede from the US without repercussion. But, they know that California actually has the balls to do it and an economy to make it work.
I thought it had landed on the ballot, but you can read about it here California Independence from the United States, the "Calexit Initiative" (2018) - Ballotpedia California Independence Referendum in 2021 Initiative (2020) - Ballotpedia