California’s billionaires — despite having a combined net worth of more than $2 trillion — make up a relatively minuscule part of the state’s income tax base. “All the billionaires in California currently contribute about only 2.5% state income. The wealthiest Americans often avoid paying income taxes by arranging tiny salaries for themselves. Zuckerberg, for instance, has taken a base salary of $1 from Meta since 2013. To fund their lavish lifestyles, they perpetually borrow against the equity they hold in their companies or other assets, making much of their wealth unrealized and