Wife factor - beaches, weather, crime rates, shopping options, and most importantly, a nice place to raise a family. If the wife is in the entertainment business (such as modeling or acting, then California and NY probably will be a favorable choice)
Player factor - if young, money > cup, if older and have not won a cup, then SC > money, if won cup at a younger age, likely a raise would be the focus. Endorsements opportunity also matters.
Family factor - if the player or wife has very few siblings, then likely would want to return to a location close to home, to attend to parents, especially matters more if married with young children
Ownership matters - strong ownership and a reputable front office can definitely attract players and that is something most agents will highly recommend for their clients.
Teammates/Coach factor - strong connection can sway a decision, same as team culture (especially with international players who do not speak English well)
Privacy concern factor - some may value this more than others and it could influence the decision
Travel Schedule concerns - this especially matters for older players who hate too much long-distance travel that can wear their bodies down faster
Media concerns - too much negativity for one to handle? Of course, it would depend on the players. I would expect most players can handle the pressure.
Overall - security likely will be the biggest factor, salary is important, but the contract term matters even more. Teams with a chance to win SC has the magnet in general, but may not be a factor each time. If the player owns a local business that requires considerable personal attention or has family members with ongoing health problems, they may just choose to stay put.
The last factor - is the fans. You would think that they should value their customers first, however, the only time the fans matter is if they show up constantly (ie high attendance records). Thus smaller markets have less chance to attract established stars.
As far as the state tax, it can have an impact on signing players, but the college UFA loophole also does as it allows these UFA to choose their destination based on opportunity for bigger roles or if they had a great desire to play for a certain team. It makes it easier for certain teams to land talented players early in their careers without even having to draft them.