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Dave Nixon didn’t move to California for the beaches or the burritos. He moved because, in his words, Florida stopped paying attention.

“I just felt like education, healthcare, all the things I care about that equalize society, were not being paid attention to [in Florida],” Nixon told Fortune magazine. .

A former healthcare executive and member of Patriotic Millionaires, Nixon packed up his life in 2022 and headed to Pasadena, California—where he says those values still get the funding and focus they deserve. “I still think that California does a better job on those things that matter.”

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Nixon’s not talking about political vibes or tax perks. He’s talking infrastructure. In his view, two foundational systems—education and healthcare—aren’t just underfunded in Florida. They’re neglected. While the state may have sunshine and no income tax, he believes the long-term cost comes from what gets left behind.

And the numbers back up at least part of what he’s saying.

California currently spends about $18,020 per public school student each year. Florida? Around $12,415. Even with the lower cost, WalletHub’s 2025 rankings place Florida at No. 21 for K–12 quality, while California trails at No. 30.

But Nixon isn’t focused on test scores. He’s focused on what that money represents: priorities. And when it comes to total education investment, California committed over $133 billion in K–12 funding alone for the 2024–25 cycle—more than the entire annual budget of many states.

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On higher education, the contrast is sharper. U.S. News & World Report ranks Florida No. 1 for statewide higher education thanks to low tuition, high graduation rates, and minimal student debt.

But California has the bragging rights when it comes to prestige. Three of the top public universities in the country—UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego—are all in the Golden State. Berkeley alone holds the No. 1 public spot on Forbes’ 2025 list.

In the same Fortune interview, Nixon slammed tech billionaires like Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page for fleeing California’s tax policies, calling their moves “sickening and greedy.” He argues that California’s public systems—education, healthcare, innovation—created the very wealth those billionaires are now trying to protect by leaving.

Healthcare, for Nixon, is the second pillar of the move. While both Florida and California face challenges in affordability, California typically ranks higher in access and quality on national scorecards.

A national West Health-Gallup survey found that 47% of Americans worry they won’t be able to afford healthcare in the next year, reflecting a widespread fear that transcends state borders. These concerns aren’t limited to the uninsured or unemployed—they affect middle-class families, retirees, and even people with solid employer plans who are getting squeezed by rising premiums, surprise bills, or shrinking networks.

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Nixon may have chosen California because he believes the state makes a stronger effort on healthcare access, but he’s not alone in sounding the alarm. Across the country, many Americans feel like the system—regardless of ZIP code—isn’t delivering. And when healthcare becomes a stressor instead of a safety net, it’s not just a policy issue. It’s a personal one.

Of course, not everyone shares Nixon’s approach. Many wealthy individuals are moving in the opposite direction—ditching California for Florida to escape income taxes and estate levies. But for Nixon, the tradeoff isn’t worth it.

The state-level fight over taxes, education, and healthcare isn’t new. But Nixon’s move puts a sharper edge on it. He didn’t just vote with a ballot. He voted with a U-Haul.

Not everyone has the means—or the appetite—to relocate over public policy. But Nixon’s move taps into a broader trend: people are reassessing not just where they live, but why they live there. For those who want exposure to thriving housing markets like California without buying a $1 million bungalow or uprooting their lives, platforms like Arrived offer a lower‑stakes entry point. With as little as $100, anyone can buy fractional shares of rental properties in cities they believe in—even if they don’t live there or love the local tax code.

In other words: you don’t have to move to Pasadena to earn rental income in Pasadena.

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This article Millionaire Who Ditched Florida Because ‘Education, Healthcare…Were Not Being Paid Attention To’ Says California ‘Does A Better Job’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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