Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks while announcing his candidacy for Governor at Avila's Historic 1929 Event Center in Riverside, Calif., Feb. 17, 2025.
Riverside County, California – A Republican contender in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race is making waves with a radical proposal—eliminating the state’s income tax.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who launched his campaign last month, announced in a video on X that, if elected, he would “work immediately” to abolish the state income tax, arguing that Californians can spend their money “far better” than the government.
“I believe that our hard workers in California could spend their money far better than our current government,” Bianco stated. His campaign centers on the idea that the Golden State is “overtaxed and overregulated,” which he claims has fueled a mass exodus of residents and businesses.
California has one of the highest state income tax rates in the country, with top earners paying up to 12.3%, according to H&R Block. Even middle-income earners—such as married couples making between $80,490 and $111,732—pay a 6% rate, while the median household income in 2023 stood at about $96,000, according to U.S. Census data.
Bianco blames these tax burdens for the so-called “California Exodus,” pointing to the hundreds of thousands of residents who have moved to states with lower taxes and living costs.
“Over the last year and a half or so, I’ve watched most of my friends sell their businesses, stop working altogether, retire early, move to other states, and it’s usually always for the same reason,” Bianco said. “What better way to bring all of my friends back, all of the businesses back that have left, than to eliminate California’s income tax?”
Bianco’s plan would put California in line with nine other states—Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming—that have no state income tax. However, these states typically offset the revenue loss with higher sales, property, or gas taxes.
It’s unclear how Bianco would compensate for the estimated $150 billion in annual revenue that California collects from state income taxes, which fund essential programs like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Critics argue that cutting this revenue stream could lead to severe budget shortfalls, forcing tax hikes elsewhere or major cuts to public services.
Bianco, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, is also aligning his tax vision with Trump’s push for an unconventional tax overhaul, which includes tariffs on foreign nations and tax cuts for certain Americans.
While Bianco’s proposal is sure to excite fiscal conservatives, it will likely face significant opposition in the heavily Democratic state, where previous efforts to reduce or cap income taxes have failed.
Voters can learn more about Bianco’s tax and affordability plan on his campaign website.
