Ex-California family DISOWN Golden State and say they love the ‘freedom’ and ‘better schools’ of Texas after fleeing because of draconian COVID regulations

A California family has joined the thousands of residents fleeing the Golden State for Texas, saying they love the southern state’s “freedom” and better education.

Chuck and Jennifer Balek, who have six children, have celebrated the move to the Lone Star State after moving to Rockwall, Texas from Camarillo, California in 2021.

Citing skyrocketing housing costs, living expenses, struggles over school curriculum and frustration with COVID restrictions pushed the family away from the blue state.

California also experiences high crime levels, with the total number of crimes reaching more than 1 million last year alone, while Texas recorded a figure slightly less.

Speak with Fox news Chuck said, “I no longer consider myself a Californian. I’m a Texan. We moved here to find a better life, and we found it.

He continued, “We didn’t want to move to a blue state, I’ll tell you that. It just didn’t make sense.

“That’s why we left California because of government overreach, as well as the schools.

“The agenda pushed in California schools did not reflect the way we want to raise our children. The schools should not push an agenda behind our backs.

“Since we’ve been here, we’ve literally seen our kids all thrive with the school systems.

‘We have some financial freedom. Our children had a great time. Were happy. We made the right choice.’

The family had pointed to gender policies and critical race theory being promoted in schools across the state, which have angered some parents.

Last month, the attorney general sued a California school district over a policy that required parents to notify if their child was transgender, sparking outrage.

His wife Jennifer said, “We moved our large Balek group here for less cost, more freedom and better education. I think it (our lives) has already changed for the better.”

According to Jennifer, the cost of living was about 20 percent lower than in Texas, which allowed them to increase their savings.

Food and transportation costs in Texas are below the national average, while California is one of the most expensive places to live in the country.

The average cost of gas in California is currently about $5.78 per gallon, while Texas costs $3.39 per gallon.

Chuck also told Fox that he would like to buy land in the state, something that was only for the “mega-rich” in California.

California has a progressive tax system that relies heavily on wealthy people and high personal tax rates, causing an exodus of people.

The state has seen a population decline since the Covid-19 pandemic, with an estimated 500,00 people leaving the country between April 2020 and July 2022.

In May, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state’s budget deficit had risen to nearly $32 billion.

This was about $10 billion more than he expected in January when he initially offered the budget proposal, citing lower-than-expected tax revenues.

It comes after a new poll released last month by a consortium of California nonprofits found that more than 40 percent of Californians are considering leaving.

Some cited the state’s liberal policies, and the poll said the high cost of living was another major factor for many.

The study, which surveyed 800 California residents, asked people about a variety of topics, including crime in their area, health care, the cost of living and safety.

The findings speak to the state’s decline in recent years, with a majority of respondents saying they are much more worried about their lives than last year.

Those considering fleeing the west coast state would join scores of high-profile former residents in the search for a new home.

In 2020, podcaster Joe Rogan left the state and moved his family to Texas, selling his lavish $3.5 million estate for the move.

The mansion came with its own MMA gym, a sun-drenched pool, and enough amenities to fill the sprawling 2-acre plot.

He announced his desire to leave on his Spotify podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” telling his huge audience that he wanted to leave for “a little more freedom.”

In 2021, Rogan was joined by billionaire Elon Musk in leaving California, which was part of a surprise vow to sell almost all of his assets.

His last remaining mansion in the area, a Bay Area property listed for $37.5 million, hit the market in June 2021.