As Sergey Brin, Larry Page and the ultra-rich flee California, one 34-year-old tech billionaire is ‘not running’—he ‘wants to fight’ for the state

Palmer Luckey, the 33-year-old Oculus VR and Anduril cofounder worth $5.9 billion, said he is staying in California despite a proposed tax hike targeting the ultra-wealthy, telling Fortune he "wants to fight" for the state rather than join an exodus of billionaires. His stance contrasts with fellow tech moguls Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who have reportedly left California, adding a high-profile voice to the debate over the proposed wealth tax as the state weighs measures to close budget gaps. Luckey called California "something special" and argued that driving out founders and capital would hurt the state's economy, positioning himself as a counterweight to defections that could erode the state's tax base. The split among billionaires underscores the political and fiscal stakes for California, which relies heavily on taxes from its wealthiest residents. What to watch: whether the proposed tax advances in the legislature and whether more high-net-worth individuals publicly relocate or pledge to stay.