Texas Gov. Rick Perry Courts California
It was either the shot heard 'round the Golden State, or it was, in the words of Governor Jerry Brown, a "fart."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has released a radio ad in California hoping to lure businesses to the Lone Star state. Unlike California, Texas has no corporate or state personal income taxes.
"Building a business is tough," Gov. Perry says in the ad, "but I hear building a business in California is next to impossible." In the commercial he touts Texas' "low taxes, sensible regulations, and fair legal system." (Hey, he remembered all three reasons!)
(Read More: America's Top States for Job Creation 2012.)
This isn't the first time the Texas Republican has come courting California, but he has never taken to the airwaves before.
California Gov. Jerry Brown's reaction? "It's a big nothing." Well, not exactly a nothing. He called it something a tad foul. "It's barely a fart," the Democrat told an audience.
Gov. Perry apparently plans to follow up his words with actions. The Pacific Coast Business Times reported he'll visit Haas Automation in the city of Oxnard next Tuesday.
"It's not something that we went out and arranged," Haas spokesman Peter Zierhut said. "In fact, Gov. Perry contacted us without our asking to arrange a meeting. It was really unsolicited."
Cold calling in California! Now, THAT's aggressive.
(Read More: California and Wall Street Are Back: Report.)
Do such campaigns work? There is a lot of anecdotal evidence supporting moves out of state, but the overall numbers don't seem to be huge. A story in the Orange County Register last year said 254 businesses left or expanded outside of California in 2011, Of the 28 which left the OC, seven went to Texas (25 percent).
Gov. Brown said his rival's timing is all wrong. California is making a comeback. Job creation is outpacing the rest of the country, including Texas. "Everybody's coming," he said.
Why stay in California? Obviously not for tax reasons or the traffic. Look, I was born and raised here, and I'm not going anywhere. The cost of living is high, but wages tend to be higher, too, and the weather can't be beat.
(Read More: And the Best Place to Work in 2013 Is...?)
Here are other reasons to stay put:
•Better sushi
•Greater access to emergency Botox injections
•No pressure to actually get to know your neighbors and pretend to like them.
•The ability to say "like" every third word and not be mocked.
•An expanding brood of Kardashian babies to buy goods/help the economy with money made from ... just being a Kardashian.
Here are some more reasons provided by Twitter:
•Happier cows. (@j2lovesfriday)
•Swimming pools, movie stars... (cue Beverly Hillbillies theme song). @MarkyMarcelus)
•A "brown out" when it is 90 degrees is way better than a brown out when it is 115 degrees. (@rewashednews)
•Lindsay Lohan means bustling biz for car repair shops and bail bondsmen. (@bobfasbender)
—By CNBC's Jane Wells; Follow her on Twitter: @janewells